The French companies register — the Registre du commerce et des sociétés (RCS) — records the legal existence of commercial entities and the persons authorised to bind them. For a buyer verifying control across multiple jurisdictions, the extract establishes the formal layer: who is registered as director, what capital is declared, and which documents have been filed. Where control diverges from the registered layer, the extract marks the boundary rather than crossing it.
The angle here is control: who formally directs the entity, what the shareholder can enforce, and at which point the official record ends.
What the extract showsLegal name, registration number (SIREN/SIRET), registered office, legal form, share capital, directors and statutory representatives, date of incorporation, and filed statutory documents. Source: Registre du commerce et des sociétés (RCS) · verified 2026-09-10. Access conditionThe RCS is publicly accessible. Basic company data is retrievable without registration through the official Infogreffe portal and the government's Annuaire des entreprises. Source: Infogreffe · verified 2026-09-10. What the extract does not showBeneficial ownership beyond the registered layer, nominee arrangements, shareholder identity in SAS structures where statutes are not filed, and intra-group control agreements. Source: RCS statutory framework · verified 2026-09-10. Insolvency overlayCollective proceedings (sauvegarde, redressement, liquidation) are recorded in the Bulletin officiel des annonces civiles et commerciales (BODACC) and may appear on the extract. A negative result does not guarantee that no filing has been made; timing gaps between filing and publication exist. Source: BODACC · verified 2026-09-10.The RCS is a public register and the underlying data is accessible at no charge through official government portals. What the service below covers is the removed path: locating the correct greffe, resolving the national identifier, handling the French-language interface, obtaining a certified or apostilled copy where required, and cross-referencing the extract against filed accounts and insolvency notices.
What the French companies register records
The RCS is maintained by the greffes des tribunaux de commerce — commercial court registrars — across France. Each entity is registered with the greffe of the tribunal in whose jurisdiction its registered office falls. The national SIREN number (nine digits) identifies the legal entity; the SIRET number (fourteen digits) identifies each establishment.
An extract (extrait Kbis) is the standard certified output. It carries the stamp of the issuing greffe and is the document French authorities and counterparties treat as proof of legal existence. The Kbis records:
- Legal name and any trade name
- Legal form (SA, SAS, SARL, SNC, and others)
- Registered office address
- Date and place of registration
- SIREN number
- Share capital (declared amount)
- Directors, presidents, and statutory representatives with their functions
- Statutory auditors, where applicable
- Any registered pledges over the business (nantissement de fonds de commerce)
- Collective proceedings, if recorded
An extract from the Répertoire des métiers covers artisan entities registered with the Chambre de métiers rather than the tribunal de commerce. The two registers are distinct; the correct register depends on the entity's activity classification.
The control layer: what the extract establishes and where it stops
For the control angle, the Kbis establishes the formal management layer. The president of an SAS, the gérant of an SARL, and the directeur général of an SA are named on the extract with their functions. This is the layer that binds the entity in contract and before courts.
The extract does not establish:
- The identity of shareholders in an SAS. SAS statutes are not required to be filed in full with the RCS. Shareholder lists are private documents unless the company has chosen to file them.
- Beneficial ownership beyond the registered layer. France maintains a Registre des bénéficiaires effectifs (RBE), a separate register of beneficial owners. Since the CJEU ruling in joined cases C-37/20 and C-601/20, public access to UBO registers across EU member states has been restricted. Access to the French RBE for verification purposes is subject to conditions that depend on the requester's status and legitimate interest. This register is not freely accessible to the general public.
- Control agreements, shareholders' agreements, or voting trusts. These are private documents and do not appear in the RCS.
- The identity of shareholders in an SA where shares are held in bearer or dematerialised form at a custodian.
The chain of control established by the Kbis runs to the registered management layer. Beyond that layer, the sources require separate instruments.
Filed documents: statutes, accounts, and amendments
Beyond the Kbis itself, the RCS holds filed documents that extend the picture:
Statutes (statuts). Filed at incorporation and on each amendment. For an SARL, the statutes name the initial shareholders and their contributions. For an SAS, the statutes define the governance structure and may name the shareholders — but the extent of disclosure varies by drafting.
Annual accounts. Companies above certain thresholds are required to file annual accounts with the greffe. Filed accounts are accessible through Infogreffe. Small companies may benefit from confidentiality options that restrict public access to their accounts. Where accounts are filed and accessible, they provide a financial layer that the Kbis alone does not carry.
Amendments. Each change to directors, registered office, capital, or legal form generates a filing. The history of amendments is part of the RCS record and can be retrieved as a chronological extract.
Insolvency proceedings. Sauvegarde, redressement judiciaire, and liquidation judiciaire are published in BODACC and recorded on the Kbis. The BODACC archive is searchable by company name and SIREN. A search of BODACC supplements the Kbis for any buyer assessing counterparty risk.
Where the sources disagree
The RCS and BODACC operate on different publication timelines. A collective proceeding opened by a tribunal de commerce is recorded in BODACC within a statutory period, but the Kbis held by a third party may not yet reflect the update. The gap between the opening of a proceeding and its appearance on a certified extract is a known feature of the system, not an anomaly.
Similarly, a change of director filed with the greffe takes effect between the parties immediately but is opposable to third parties only after publication in the Bulletin officiel des annonces civiles et commerciales or in a journal d'annonces légales. An extract obtained before publication of the amendment will not show the new director.
Where the extract and filed accounts carry different capital figures — for example, following a capital increase not yet reflected in the latest filed accounts — the discrepancy is itself a finding. The report notes the discrepancy and identifies which document carries which figure.
The limit of what the sources allow
The RCS is a registration system, not a disclosure system for ownership. The ceiling of what the sources allow is stated before payment.
The extract confirms that the entity exists, is registered, and has named persons authorised to act for it. It does not confirm who owns the entity beyond the registered layer, whether the named directors act independently or under instruction, or whether the declared capital reflects current economic reality.
For an SAS — the dominant form for holding structures and joint ventures in France — the shareholder layer is not in the RCS. Statutes may or may not name shareholders depending on how they were drafted. A shareholders' agreement governing control is a private document.
The RBE provides a separate beneficial ownership layer, but access is restricted following the CJEU ruling. The conditions under which a professional requester can access the RBE depend on the requester's demonstrated legitimate interest and are subject to verification by the administering authority.
An insolvency search in BODACC covers published proceedings. It does not cover proceedings filed but not yet published, or informal arrangements outside formal insolvency procedure.
These limits are not deficiencies in the service. They are the architecture of the French registration system. The report states what was established, from which source, and at which point the source ends.
What is included at each tier
| Tier | Price | What is included | Not included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signal | €440 | Certified Kbis extract (current); SIREN/SIRET verification; registered office and legal form confirmation; named directors and statutory representatives; BODACC insolvency search; summary in English | Filed statutes; annual accounts; amendment history; RBE beneficial ownership layer; apostille |
| Standard | €890 | Everything in Signal; filed statutes (most recent version); annual accounts (last available filing); amendment history (last five years); cross-reference of Kbis against filed accounts for capital discrepancies; extended BODACC search (five years) | RBE beneficial ownership layer; apostille; shareholder identification in SAS beyond filed statutes |
| Extended | €1,800 | Everything in Standard; full amendment history from incorporation; RBE access attempt with documented outcome and access conditions; identification of shareholder layer to the extent the filed statutes and accounts permit; apostille on Kbis; written analytical note on control structure and source limits | Shareholders' agreements (private documents, not in RCS); beneficial ownership beyond what RBE and filed documents disclose; legal advice |
FAQ
What is an extrait Kbis and who issues it? The Kbis is the official certified extract of the RCS entry for a commercial entity. It is issued by the greffe of the tribunal de commerce where the entity is registered. It is the standard document used to prove legal existence in France.
Does the Kbis show shareholders? For an SARL, the initial shareholders appear in the filed statutes, which are part of the RCS record. For an SAS, the statutes may or may not name shareholders depending on drafting. The Kbis itself does not carry a shareholder list. Shareholder identity in an SAS requires access to the statutes and, where applicable, any filed amendments.
Is the French companies register free to access? Basic company data — name, SIREN, registered office, legal form, and current directors — is accessible without charge through official government portals including Infogreffe and the Annuaire des entreprises. A certified Kbis extract carries a fee set by the greffe. What the service covers is the removed path: identifier resolution, language, certified copy procurement, and cross-referencing against filed documents and insolvency records.
How current is the extract? The Kbis reflects the state of the RCS at the moment of extraction. Changes filed but not yet published may not appear. For time-sensitive transactions, the extraction date on the document is the reference point.
What does the insolvency search cover? The BODACC search covers published collective proceedings: sauvegarde, redressement judiciaire, and liquidation judiciaire. It does not cover proceedings filed but not yet published, or informal arrangements outside formal insolvency procedure. A negative result is a result as of the search date, not a guarantee of absence.
Can beneficial ownership be established? The RBE records beneficial owners for French entities. Since the CJEU ruling restricting public access to EU UBO registers, access to the French RBE requires a demonstrated legitimate interest. The Extended tier includes an RBE access attempt with a documented outcome. The result depends on the access conditions in force at the time of the request.
How long does the report take? Signal: two to three business days. Standard: four to five business days. Extended: seven to ten business days. Timelines assume no exceptional delay at the greffe or in BODACC publication.
Sources
- Registre du commerce et des sociétés (RCS) — Infogreffe — https://www.infogreffe.fr — verified 2026-09-10
- Annuaire des entreprises (government portal) — https://annuaire-entreprises.data.gouv.fr — verified 2026-09-10
- Bulletin officiel des annonces civiles et commerciales (BODACC) — https://www.bodacc.fr — verified 2026-09-10
- Registre des bénéficiaires effectifs (RBE) — administered via Infogreffe — verified 2026-09-10
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Disclaimer: This report is a factual compilation from official registers and public sources. It is provided for informational purposes only, does not constitute legal advice, and contains no legal qualification of the facts established. VLO Law Firm assumes no liability for actions taken or not taken based on this material. For advice regarding your particular situation, please contact info@vlolawfirm.com.
Author: Elena Moretti — Partner, Continental Europe, VLO Law Firm
