This is the step where founders who did everything else right often get stuck, not because it is complicated, but because the sequencing is unintuitive if you have not done it before.
The chicken-and-egg problem
To register your company, you need to deposit your share capital into a bank account first, and the notaire or bank issues a capital deposit certificate that goes into your registration file. But you cannot open your full business account until the company legally exists (K-bis issued). The way around this: capital is deposited into a temporary blocked account for a "société en formation" (company being formed), then released into a normal business account once your K-bis comes through. Skipping or misunderstanding this step is one of the most common causes of a stalled registration.
What you will actually be asked for
For the company itself: draft or final bylaws (statuts), your K-bis extract once issued, your SIRET/SIREN, a list of shareholders and ultimate beneficial owners, and a board resolution naming the legal representative who will operate the account.
For you personally as director or beneficial owner: a valid passport, proof of address in your home country (a utility bill or bank statement is usually enough), and, depending on the bank, a residence visa or a tax identification number from your home country.
You will also need to show a registered office address in France. A lease or a utility bill in the company's name is standard, though a virtual office address is accepted by many banks and by the Guichet Unique itself.
Traditional banks vs. fintech options
Traditional French banks generally still expect an in-person meeting, which is a real obstacle if you are not yet in the country. Fintech and neobank options built for businesses (Qonto is the one we see foreign founders use most, alongside some banks' dedicated business offerings) support fully remote account opening for foreign clients and tend to move faster for exactly this reason.
Document translation matters more than founders expect
Any supporting document not already in French typically needs to be translated, and in some cases legalised or apostilled. Some banks will also require notarised copies rather than plain photocopies or scans. Preparing these in advance, rather than after a bank asks for them, is the single easiest way to avoid a two-week delay.
Where the capital can go, and how much you must pay in
French rules say the share capital must be deposited with a credit institution (a bank) or a notaire. It cannot be deposited with a payment institution, and the Caisse des dépôts has not taken these deposits since 1 June 2021. Before you choose an online provider, ask which licence it holds and whether it issues the deposit certificate itself.
You do not always have to pay in the full amount on day one:
- SAS or SASU: at least 50% of the capital written in the bylaws.
- SARL or EURL: at least 20%.
- In both cases, the rest must be paid within 5 years of registration.
There is no legal minimum capital for these company forms. For the deposit, the bank or notaire asks for a deposit request, the identity and address of the legal representative, the list of subscribers with each one's identity, and draft bylaws dated less than one year ago. The money is released after registration, when you hand over the proof of registration.
If a bank says no: the right to an account
A bank in France is free to choose its clients. If it refuses, it must give you a written refusal within 15 days. If you hear nothing for 15 days, that silence counts as a refusal.
A company based in France that has no deposit account in France can then apply to the Banque de France, online, by post or at a branch. The file includes the legal representative's ID, a registration extract (K-bis or RNE) less than 3 months old, the refusal letter or proof of your request, and a sworn statement that the company has no account.
The Banque de France names a bank within 24 hours of receiving a complete file. That bank must open the account within 3 working days once it has all its documents. The account comes with free basic services, including transfers, direct debits, statements and a payment card. It does not include an overdraft.
Do you have to keep the account afterwards?
A company with share capital needs a business account to deposit that capital. After registration, the law does not require the company to keep one, although most companies do, to keep business and personal money apart. Closing a business account is free.
What we see go wrong
The most common mistake is founders assuming any bank will do and picking one at random, then discovering three weeks in that this particular bank does not serve non-resident company directors at all. Confirming a bank's actual policy on foreign, non-resident applicants before you start the paperwork saves real time.