French Company Registry: Complete Guide to SIREN, Kbis, UBO & INPI Data in 2026
France has one of the most open company data ecosystems in the EU. The Sirene API is free, covers 31 million entities, and is updated daily. Annual accounts are publicly available via INPI at no cost. The BODACC gazette is free. By the numbers, France should be the easiest major EU registry to work with.
In practice, three structural features complicate French KYB significantly. First, the SAS (Société par Actions Simplifiée) — France's dominant private company form — has a shareholding transparency gap: shareholder identity is not systematically filed with the registry. Second, small companies can request confidentiality for their accounts, making financial data invisible even when filed. Third, UBO register access has been restricted since July 2024, requiring demonstrated legitimate interest via INPI or Infogreffe.
The system is also fragmented across three institutions — INSEE (Sirene), INPI (RNE, accounts, UBO), and Infogreffe (Kbis, official documents) — that do not always stay perfectly in sync. This guide covers everything compliance, data, and product teams need to work with French company data in 2026.
| 4.4M+ Active companies (RNE) | Free API Sirene + INPI RNE | Jul 2024 RBE UBO access restricted | SAS gap Shareholders not systematically public |
The French Registry Landscape in 2026
France’s company data is distributed across three primary institutions that each serve a different function. Understanding which system holds which data is prerequisite for any production pipeline.
| Institution | What it holds | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|
| INSEE / Sirene | Civil status of all entities: SIREN, SIRET, NAF/APE code, address, legal form, creation/cessation date. 31M+ entities including dormant. | Free API | French |
| INPI / RNE (data.inpi.fr) | National register since Jan 2023. Corporate acts, accounts (non-confidential), statuts, RBE beneficial owners. Replaced RNCS. | Free (RNE + API) | French |
| Infogreffe | Greffe-held documents: Kbis extracts, certified copies, accounts, statuts for SARL. Primary document ordering platform. | Paid documents | French / English |
| BODACC | Official gazette: corporate events, insolvency proceedings, accounts filing notices. Three sections (A, B, C). | Free | French |
| RBE (via INPI/Infogreffe) | Beneficial owners register. Restricted since July 2024 — legitimate interest required. | Restricted | French |
Key identifiers
SIREN — 9-digit unique identifier for each legal entity, assigned by INSEE at registration. Permanent. · SIRET — 14 digits: SIREN (9) + establishment code (5). Identifies each physical establishment. A company with 3 offices has 3 SIRETs and 1 SIREN. · NAF/APE — French implementation of NACE Rev. 2, 5-character industry code. Updated to NAF 2025 in January 2025. · TVA intracommunautaire — EU VAT number: FR + 2-digit key + SIREN. Derivable from SIREN but must be verified with the EU VIES system.
Entity Types and the SAS Transparency Problem
France has a rich taxonomy of legal forms. For KYB purposes, the critical distinction is between entity types where shareholders are publicly identifiable and those where they are not.
| Entity | Min. capital | Shareholders public? | Dominant use |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAS — Société par Actions Simplifiée | €1 | Not systematically | Startups, PE-backed, foreign investors |
| SASU — Single-member SAS | €1 | Single shareholder may appear in statuts | Solo entrepreneurs, holding structures |
| SARL — Société à Responsabilité Limitée | €1 | Yes — in statuts (Infogreffe) | SMEs, family businesses |
| EURL — Single-member SARL | €1 | Single associate in statuts | Solo traders, consultants |
| SA — Société Anonyme | €37,000 | Listed: public. Unlisted: not public. | Large companies, listed entities |
| SCI — Société Civile Immobilière | None | Partners in statuts — filed with tribunal | Real estate holding |
| SNC — Société en Nom Collectif | None | Partners disclosed | Professional partnerships |
Chart
French private companies by entity type (2024)
| SAS / SASU | 52% | |||
| Shareholders not systematically public. Dominant form for PE, VC, and foreign investors. | ||||
| SARL / EURL | 34% | |||
| Associates listed in statuts — publicly accessible via Infogreffe. | ||||
| SA | 7% | |||
| Listed SAs: shareholders public above 5%. Unlisted: not public. | ||||
| Other | 7% | |||
| SCI, SNC, SE, cooperative, branch. | ||||
52% of all French private companies are SAS or SASU — the entity type with the least shareholder transparency in the French registry.
The SAS Shareholding Transparency Gap
The SAS (Société par Actions Simplifiée) is France’s most popular private company form — used by startups, PE-backed companies, joint ventures, and most foreign investors. Its defining feature is contractual freedom: shareholders design their own governance through bespoke statuts.
This creates a transparency gap. For SARL companies, the statuts must list all associates (shareholders) with their percentage of capital — and these statuts are publicly accessible via Infogreffe. For SAS companies, shareholder identity is not required to be disclosed in the registered statuts in a structured way, and share transfer agreements (protocoles de cession) are not required to be registered with the RCS or INPI.
The SAS gap in practice
A French SAS incorporated in 2020 by three individuals may show those founders in its original statuts. If a PE fund acquired 70% in 2023, that acquisition is not visible in public registry data. The Kbis will still show the original president. The statuts on file may be the 2020 version. The only way to identify current ownership is through the RBE beneficial owner register — now restricted — or via a formal shareholder declaration request to the company itself.
For SARL companies, the situation is better: associates appear in the statuts, which must be updated within one month of any change and filed with the greffe. These are publicly accessible at Infogreffe. The statuts are not always perfectly current, but they provide a starting point that simply does not exist for SAS.
What the Registry Contains
| Data type | Available? | Source & cost |
|---|---|---|
| Company name, SIREN, legal form, status | Yes — free | Sirene API / annuaire-entreprises.data.gouv.fr |
| Registered address, NAF code | Yes — free | Sirene API · daily updates |
| Directors / mandataires sociaux | Yes — free | INPI RNE API / Kbis (free at data.inpi.fr) |
| Share capital | Yes — free | Kbis / INPI RNE |
| Annual accounts (non-confidential) | Yes — free | INPI RNE API · PDF or structured JSON |
| Annual accounts (confidential) | Not public | Filed but withheld — micro/small company option |
| Corporate acts (statuts, AGM minutes) | Free at INPI | data.inpi.fr / Infogreffe (paid certified copies) |
| SARL shareholders | Yes — in statuts | Infogreffe · ~€10.05 for certified copy |
| SAS shareholders | Not systematically public | Not required to be filed in structured form |
| BODACC corporate events | Yes — free | bodacc.fr · daily |
| Beneficial owners (RBE) | Restricted since Jul 2024 | Infogreffe / INPI · legitimate interest |
| Insolvency proceedings | Yes — free | BODACC Section A · Infogreffe certificate |
Documents, APIs and Costs
Free official sources
France has the most generous open data regime of any major EU registry. The following are all free for commercial reuse:
| Source | What you get | Update frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Sirene API (INSEE) | SIREN, SIRET, NAF code, address, legal form, creation/cessation date, employee band. 31M+ entities. | Daily |
| INPI RNE API | Corporate acts, statuts, annual accounts (non-confidential), director lists, BODACC cross-references. | Daily |
| Kbis at data.inpi.fr | Free digital Kbis — same legal value as paid Infogreffe version since 2023 reform. | Real-time |
| BODACC (bodacc.fr) | Corporate event gazette: insolvency, sales/transfers, account filing notices. Three sections. | Daily |
| Annuaire des Entreprises | Aggregates Sirene + RNE. Human-readable search at annuaire-entreprises.data.gouv.fr. | Daily |
Paid documents via Infogreffe
| Document | Cost | Use case |
|---|---|---|
| Extrait Kbis (certified) | €3.37 | Proof of registration for KYB, onboarding |
| Statuts / corporate acts | €10.05 | Shareholder check for SARL; governance review |
| Annual accounts (certified) | €10.05 | Financial due diligence |
| Insolvency certificate | €4.73 | Confirms no insolvency proceedings |
| Pledges & inscriptions (nantissements) | €85.35 | Credit decisions — liens on business assets |
| RBE UBO extract | Legitimate interest required | AML due diligence — restricted since Jul 2024 |
The Kbis reform — what changed in 2023
Since January 2023, the digital Kbis available free at data.inpi.fr has the same legal value as the paid version from Infogreffe. French administrations can no longer request a Kbis from companies — they must look it up themselves via the API. For KYB workflows, this means the free data.inpi.fr Kbis is the correct primary source. The paid Infogreffe Kbis is still used when a paper-certified copy is required (notarial, regulatory, or cross-border submissions).
Annual Accounts — The Confidentiality Problem
France requires all commercial companies to file annual accounts within 7 months of financial year end (6 months for approval + 1 month to file). In theory, filed accounts are publicly available via INPI. In practice, a significant proportion of small and micro companies are not visible:
| Company size | Thresholds | Accounts format | Confidentiality option? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micro-enterprise | Turnover <€350K, total assets <€175K, <10 employees | Simplified balance sheet only | Yes — full confidentiality |
| Small (abrégé) | Turnover <€8M, assets <€4M, <50 employees | Simplified accounts | Yes — P&L confidential only |
| Medium / large | Above small thresholds | Full accounts + notes | No |
| SA (any size) | Always audited | Full accounts + auditor report | No |
What this means for data teams
A substantial portion of French SMEs — particularly micro-enterprises and small SAS — file accounts but exercise confidentiality. The BODACC Section C will confirm that accounts were filed even when the content is withheld. A BODACC filing notice without a corresponding INPI accounts record is a reliable signal that the company has requested confidentiality. For these companies, revenue and balance sheet data must be modelled from employee band estimates, VAT declarations (not public), and sector benchmarks.
The RBE — France’s UBO Register
France’s Registre des Bénéficiaires Effectifs (RBE) was established in 2017 following the 4th AML Directive. It was genuinely public — accessible to any citizen without justification — until 31 July 2024, when the ECJ ruling of November 2022 was finally implemented in French law.
Since July 2024, access requires demonstrating legitimate interest. The Law of 30 April 2025 (DDADUE5) formally codified the access rules in French statute law, specifying exactly who qualifies. Companies that fail to file or maintain UBO information may be automatically deregistered from the RCS since June 2025.
| Who | Access level | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Competent authorities (AMF, TRACFIN, judicial) | Full | Direct system access |
| AML/CFT obliged entities (banks, notaries, auditors) | Full — confirmed DDADUE5 | Infogreffe account · legitimate interest declaration |
| Journalists, researchers, civil society (AML mandate) | Full — presumed legitimate interest | INPI / Infogreffe · supporting documentation |
| Persons in business relationship with the company | Partial — counterparty check only | Demonstrate contractual relationship |
| General public | No access since Jul 2024 | Must demonstrate legitimate interest |
What UBO data you receive
Name, date of birth, nationality, country of residence, and nature/extent of control (ownership percentage or other control mechanism). For the general public (pre-July 2024 access and currently for legitimate interest), the day of birth is withheld — only month and year are provided. Full date of birth is available only to authorised entities and competent authorities. Threshold: direct or indirect ownership of more than 25% of capital or voting rights, or control through other means.
Zavia.ai — UBO chain tracing across jurisdictions
For French entities owned through Luxembourg SCSp structures, Dutch BVs, or other multi-layer holding arrangements, the French RBE data alone — even when accessible — gives you the first layer only. Zavia.ai connects to 100+ registries worldwide and traces ownership chains through each intermediate layer to the ultimate natural person, regardless of how many jurisdictions are involved.
The KYB Workflow for a French Company
Chart
Effort required by data source
Bar length = effort · colour = difficulty
| Sirene API | Free · instant | |||
| BODACC check | Free · 2 min | |||
| Kbis (data.inpi.fr) | Free · 5 min | |||
| Annual accounts | Free (if not confidential) | |||
| SARL statuts | €10.05 · Infogreffe | |||
| RBE — UBO data | Legitimate interest | |||
| SAS shareholders | Specialist | |||
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Step-by-step
1 |
Check the BODACC — free, daily bodacc.fr — search by SIREN. Section A covers insolvency proceedings and sales/transfers. Section C shows when accounts were filed. Events appear here before Sirene status is updated. Non-negotiable first step. |
2 |
Pull the Kbis from data.inpi.fr — free Free, real-time, same legal validity as paid Infogreffe version since 2023. Confirms legal form, registered address, directors, share capital, and status. Use the SIREN as primary key. |
3 |
Check annual accounts via INPI RNE API — free data.inpi.fr provides non-confidential accounts in structured JSON or PDF. Check first whether accounts exist — a BODACC Section C entry without a corresponding INPI account record means confidentiality was requested. |
4 |
For SARL: retrieve statuts from Infogreffe €10.05 for a certified copy. Associates and their percentage of capital appear in the statuts. Verify the filing date — statuts must be updated within one month of any ownership change. |
5 |
For SAS: access RBE or use corporate linkage The RBE (via Infogreffe or INPI) is the primary route for SAS shareholders if you qualify under legitimate interest. Otherwise, corporate linkage analysis tracing the ownership chain through intermediate holding structures is required. |
6 |
Sanctions, PEP and adverse media screening Screen all identified persons — directors and UBOs — against EU consolidated sanctions list, UN list, and national PEP databases. For high-risk sectors or jurisdictions, enhanced due diligence applies. |
Open Data — France’s Best-in-EU Regime
France has the most accessible open data ecosystem of any major EU registry. The Sirene database contains 31 million entities including dormant and ceased. The INPI RNE covers all formalised corporate events since January 2023. Both are available via API at no cost, with commercial reuse permitted.
| Source | URL | Data | Format | Update freq. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sirene API | api.insee.fr | 31M+ entities — SIREN, SIRET, NAF, address, status | JSON | Daily |
| INPI RNE API | data.inpi.fr | Acts, accounts, statuts, directors, BODACC refs | JSON / PDF | Daily |
| BODACC | bodacc.fr | Corporate event gazette (3 sections) | XML / HTML | Daily |
| Annuaire Entreprises | annuaire-entreprises.data.gouv.fr | Sirene + RNE aggregated — human readable | JSON / HTML | Daily |
| Bulk Sirene | data.gouv.fr | Full Sirene database in CSV — daily snapshot | CSV (zipped) | Daily |
NAF 2025 — the code update you need to know about
From January 2025, INSEE migrated to NAF 2025 — a major revision to the French activity classification adding new codes for digital services, green economy, and platform businesses. The old NAF 2008 codes remain in the Sirene database for historical records. If your pipeline relies on APE codes for sector classification, you need to apply the INSEE mapping table and handle both NAF 2008 and NAF 2025 codes. INSEE provides an API parameter to specify the nomenclature version.
France’s Insolvency Framework
French insolvency law provides multiple rescue procedures before liquidation, governed by the Code de Commerce. The BODACC is the primary signal source — but the timing of each procedure’s publication varies.
| Procedure | What it means | BODACC section | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandat ad hoc | Confidential pre-insolvency mediation — not published | None | No public signal — invisible |
| Conciliation | Confidential negotiation with main creditors | None | No public signal — invisible |
| Sauvegarde | Protection procedure — company in difficulty but not yet insolvent | Section A | Early warning — trading continues |
| Redressement judiciaire | Judicial recovery — company insolvent, restructuring plan required | Section A | High risk — court-supervised |
| Liquidation judiciaire | Court-ordered liquidation — assets sold, company dissolved | Section A | Terminal |
| Procédure simplifiée | Fast-track liquidation for small companies | Section A | Terminal — typically 6–9 months |
The invisible early stages
Mandat ad hoc and conciliation are deliberately confidential under French law — they exist to encourage early intervention without stigma. A company can be in mediated restructuring with its main creditors for 12+ months with no public signal whatsoever. The BODACC only picks up Sauvegarde and later procedures. For credit decisions and supplier risk, the absence of a BODACC insolvency record is a necessary but not sufficient condition of financial health.
Common Mistakes
1. Confusing SIREN, SIRET and RCS number
The SIREN (9 digits) identifies the legal entity. The SIRET (14 digits) identifies a specific establishment. The RCS number is a formatted string (e.g. «RCS Paris B 123 456 789») used in historical documents — the digits are the SIREN. Systems that store all three as separate fields create data quality issues. Always normalise to SIREN as the primary entity key.
2. Using INPI and Infogreffe interchangeably
Since the RNE launch in January 2023, INPI is the canonical national dataset. Infogreffe is the greffe-operated document portal — still essential for certified copies and SARL statuts, but can lag INPI by 24–48 hours for recent filings. For real-time status, always check INPI first. For legally certified documents, use Infogreffe.
3. Assuming confidential accounts means the company is hiding something
Account confidentiality in France is a legal right for micro and small companies — not a red flag. Roughly 60% of French SMEs exercise this right. The correct interpretation is simply that financial data is unavailable from public sources, not that the company is in difficulty. Check the BODACC Section C to confirm accounts were filed even if the content is withheld.
4. Treating a SAS director as the owner
The Kbis shows the Président of a SAS — this is the legal representative, not necessarily the owner. SAS structures routinely have PE funds, family offices, or corporate shareholders behind a professional president. Never conclude that the Président equals the beneficial owner without checking the RBE.
5. Not checking the BODACC before the Kbis
BODACC events (insolvency openings, capital reductions, sales of business) appear before Kbis status is updated. The Kbis may still show «active» for a company that has been placed in redressement judiciaire 48 hours earlier. BODACC first, always.
6. Ignoring NAF 2025 migration
From January 2025, new companies receive NAF 2025 codes. Existing companies retain their NAF 2008 codes until a formal activity change is filed. A pipeline built on NAF 2008 sector filters will miss new registrations in certain categories — particularly digital services and new energy codes — that only exist in NAF 2025. Use the INSEE mapping table and handle both versions.
France vs Other EU Registries
Chart
Registry data transparency — EU comparison
Composite: free access · API · UBO access · share transfer transparency · language
| 🇬🇧 UK | 9.0 / 10 | |||
| Free API · PSC public · all share changes filed · English | ||||
| 🇫🇷 France | 7.0 / 10 | |||
| Free Sirene + INPI API · UBO restricted Jul 2024 · SAS transparency gap · French only | ||||
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 6.0 / 10 | |||
| Paid API (NL entity required) · holding BV opacity · UBO restricted | ||||
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 5.5 / 10 | |||
| Free access (2022) · no API · 60 req/hr limit · scanned PDFs · UBO restricted | ||||
| 🇪🇸 Spain | 3.5 / 10 | |||
| No API · S.L. share transfer gap · RCTIR access burdensome · Spanish only | ||||
| Country | Free access | Official API | UBO access | Shareholder transparency | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇫🇷 France | Yes — Sirene + INPI | Free (Sirene + RNE) | Restricted Jul 2024 | SARL yes / SAS no | French only |
| 🇬🇧 UK | Yes — free | Free REST API | PSC — public | All changes filed | English |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | Yes (since 2022) | None | Restricted (ECJ) | GmbH first layer only | German only |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | Paid docs | Paid — NL entity req. | No (Q2 2026 partial) | Main shareholder only | Dutch / English |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | Paid docs | None | Restricted | Founding deed only | Spanish only |
Regulatory Timeline
| 2017 | RBE established — 4th AML Directive transpositionFrance introduces mandatory UBO declaration for all RCS-registered entities. |
| Apr 2021 | RBE goes fully public via INPIAny citizen can access beneficial owner data without justification at data.inpi.fr. |
| Jan 2023 | RNE launches — replaces RNCSINPI’s Registre National des Entreprises consolidates all French registries. Data available free via API. Free Kbis becomes legally equivalent to paid version. |
| Jul 2024 | RBE public access closesECJ ruling implemented. Access restricted to legitimate interest only. Obliged entities and journalists retain access. |
| Jan 2025 | NAF 2025 codes launchINSEE migrates to updated NAF 2025 activity classification. New companies receive new codes; existing companies retain NAF 2008 codes until next activity change. |
| Apr 2025 | DDADUE5 — RBE access rules codified in statuteLaw of 30 April 2025 formally codifies who may access the RBE. Companies failing to declare UBO data face automatic deregistration from June 2025. |
| 2026–27 | EU AMLA + BORIS interconnection6AMLD fully transposed. BORIS links all EU UBO registers. Machine-readable UBO data and standardised access procedures across member states. |
How Zephira Solves the French Data Problem
Zephira connects directly to the Sirene, INPI RNE, BODACC, and supporting French sources, normalises everything into a unified entity model, and delivers via REST API or bulk file — structured, enriched, and English-language output with no per-call fees per document.
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SAS shareholder coverage
SAS ownership gap addressed through RBE access (where eligible) and corporate linkage across intermediate holding structures.
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Government-sourced
Direct from Sirene, INPI RNE, and BODACC. No third-party resale. Updated as source data changes.
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Confidential accounts supplement
Where accounts are withheld, Zephira appends revenue estimates, employee bands, and financial health signals.
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API or bulk
REST API · 99.9% SLA · no rate limits. Or bulk via S3 or SFTP. Same data model.
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Cross-border linkage
French entities linked to parents and subsidiaries across 150+ jurisdictions. Luxembourg, NL, UK holding structures resolved.
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English output
All French-language source documents normalised and delivered as structured English-language fields.
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ZEPHIRA.AI · GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE LAYER
Beyond France: Global Registries, Corporate Linkage & Enrichment
France’s free APIs give you a strong foundation. What they don’t give you: who owns the SAS above the operating company, what the Luxembourg holding fund looks like, or what the group generates in consolidated revenue. Zephira connects directly to 150+ government registries worldwide and traces ownership chains using official data at each layer.
Where accounts are withheld or missing, Zephira appends revenue estimates, employee bands, and financial health signals derived from multi-source enrichment. Available via REST API or bulk delivery via S3 or SFTP.
See the full data model →
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Germany
Handelsregister: The Complete Guide
150 courts, no official API, scanned PDFs, restricted UBO.
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Netherlands
KVK Handelsregister: The Complete Guide
Holding BV structures, paid API, UBO Q2 2026.
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Spain
Registro Mercantil: The Complete Guide
No API, S.L. share transfer gap, burdensome UBO access.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between RCS, RNE, INPI and Infogreffe?
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The RCS is the local commercial register held by greffe clerks at each commercial court. The RNE is the national register that replaced the RNCS in January 2023, operated by INPI. INPI is the national institute responsible for disseminating registry data via data.inpi.fr. Infogreffe is the greffe-operated platform for ordering official documents including the Kbis. All four interact — INPI holds the canonical national dataset; Infogreffe is the primary document portal.
What is a SIREN number?
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The SIREN is a unique 9-digit identifier assigned by INSEE to every French legal entity. Permanent — it does not change when a company changes address, name, or legal form. The SIRET is a 14-digit extension: SIREN (9) plus a 5-digit establishment code, identifying a specific physical location. A company with 3 offices has one SIREN and three SIRETs.
What is a Kbis extract and how do I get one?
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The Kbis is the official proof of company registration in France. It contains SIREN, legal form, registered address, share capital, directors, and activity code. Available free at data.inpi.fr — the free version has had the same legal validity as the paid Infogreffe version (€3.37) since the 2023 RNE reform. All documents are in French.
Why can’t I find shareholders for a French SAS?
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SAS statuts may be filed with INPI but shareholder identity is not required to be disclosed in a structured public form — and share transfer agreements are not required to be registered. For SARL companies, associates appear in the statuts which are publicly accessible via Infogreffe. The SAS transparency gap is the primary ownership challenge in French KYB.
Can I access UBO data for French companies?
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France’s RBE was open to the public until 31 July 2024. Since then, access requires legitimate interest. AML-obliged entities, competent authorities, journalists, researchers, and civil society stakeholders with AML-related mandates can access the full register via Infogreffe or INPI. The Law of 30 April 2025 (DDADUE5) formally codified these access rules in French statute.
What is the BODACC?
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The BODACC is France’s official commercial gazette at bodacc.fr. Free since July 2011. Section A: sales/transfers, incorporations, collective insolvency procedures. Section B: general corporate notices. Section C: accounts filing notices. Corporate events appear here before Sirene status is updated — always check BODACC first in any KYB workflow.
Does France have a free company data API?
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Yes — France has one of the best open data ecosystems in the EU. The Sirene API from INSEE is free, covers 31 million entities, and is updated daily. The INPI RNE API provides corporate data including accounts and acts, also free. The BODACC is free with a machine-readable feed. All are free for commercial reuse with attribution.
What is the NAF/APE code?
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The NAF code (also called APE) is France’s industry classification — the French implementation of NACE Rev. 2. Assigned by INSEE at registration. Updated to NAF 2025 in January 2025, adding codes for digital services and green economy. Old NAF 2008 codes remain in Sirene for existing companies until a formal activity change is filed. INSEE provides an API parameter to specify the nomenclature version.
What accounts must French companies file?
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All commercial companies must file accounts within 7 months of financial year end. Companies below two of three thresholds (€8M turnover, €4M assets, 50 employees) file simplified accounts. Micro-enterprises can request full confidentiality; small companies can withhold their P&L. SA companies are always subject to statutory audit. Non-confidential accounts are available free via INPI.
What is the full KYB workflow for a French company?
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(1) BODACC check — free, covers insolvency and sales; (2) Kbis from data.inpi.fr — free; (3) Sirene API — free, gives legal status and NAF code; (4) Annual accounts via INPI RNE API — free for non-confidential; (5) RBE UBO data — legitimate interest required, via Infogreffe or INPI; (6) Statuts via Infogreffe for SARL shareholder check; (7) Sanctions, PEP, and adverse media screening for all identified persons.
Get structured French company data via API
Sirene, INPI RNE, BODACC, accounts — normalised, enriched, English output.
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