TL;DR: Scrib🐮's M2 Guided Preparation wizard walks you through SAS (Société par Actions Simplifiée) formation — from statuts to Guichet Unique submission — covering all Code de commerce requirements for France's most popular startup structure.
The SAS is France's most popular company structure for startups and growing businesses. Its appeal lies in extreme flexibility: unlike the SARL, the SAS has almost no legislative restrictions on governance — virtually everything is determined by the statuts (articles of association). This flexibility is powerful, but it also means that poorly drafted statuts create governance gaps that are difficult and expensive to fix later.
The SAS requires at minimum: a président (equivalent to CEO, who legally represents the company); statuts covering share structure, governance, and decision-making rules; a list of shareholders with share allocations; and deposit of share capital (minimum €1, but the statuts must specify the method of capital deposit and the bank account details).
Since January 2023, all SAS formation in France must be filed through the Guichet Unique (https://www.guichet-entreprises.fr/), the single digital window replacing the Centre de Formalités des Entreprises (CFE). The online system requires uploading specific documents in specific formats. Errors in document format or missing information result in rejection and delay.
Scrib🐮's M2 Guided Preparation module walks you through SAS formation with step-by-step prompts for every required piece of information, then generates documents formatted for Guichet Unique submission.
Phase 1 — Dénomination sociale and siège social:
Enter your proposed company name (dénomination sociale) and registered office address (siège social). The guide explains that for a SASU (single-shareholder SAS), the siège social can be the president's home address initially. For multi-shareholder SAS, a commercial address is typical.
The guide notes that the Guichet Unique requires the INPI name availability check (https://data.inpi.fr/) as a preliminary step — the wizard links directly to this resource.
Phase 2 — Capital social and share structure:
Enter the total capital social and share class structure. For a standard SASU or small SAS, a single class of ordinary shares at €1 nominal value is most common. The guide explains the option of having multiple share classes (actions de préférence) and when this is useful — typically when bringing in investors who need preference rights.
Specify the number of shares issued to each associé and the price paid per share (which may exceed the nominal value — the premium is called the prime d'émission). For cash contributions, the guide explains the capital deposit requirement: shares representing at least 50% of cash contributions must be deposited in a blocked bank account before registration, with the balance deposited within 5 years.
Phase 3 — Statuts:
The wizard generates the statuts covering: object social (business purpose — the guide recommends a broad object clause to allow business pivot without amending the statuts), siège social, capital and shares, président appointment and powers, associés meetings (ordinary and extraordinary), decisions requiring unanimous or qualified majority consent, transfer restrictions, and dissolution provisions.
For the objet social, the guide provides sector-specific examples and explains that the Code de commerce does not restrict the object of a SAS, allowing very broad drafting.
Phase 4 — Président and initial decisions:
Configure the président details (name, nationality, date of birth, address). The wizard generates the décision du fondateur (or procès-verbal d'assemblée constitutive for multi-shareholder SAS) appointing the président and approving the statuts. For a SASU, the founding associé's decision is made in writing and appended to the statuts.
Phase 5 — Export for Guichet Unique:
The wizard generates the complete dossier for Guichet Unique submission: statuts (signed PDF), liste des associés, attestation de dépôt de fonds (capital deposit certificate format from your bank), and the Guichet Unique checklist confirming which digital forms require each document.
Reference: https://www.service-public.fr/professionnels-entreprises/vosdroits/F32887 (French public service SAS creation guide).
Scrib🐮 is a document preparation service. For advice on SAS governance specific to your investor structure, consult an avocat or expert-comptable.
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Try it free →| Module | What It Does |
|---|---|
| M1 Templates | Smart document templates for all 3 menus |
| M2 Guided Prep | TurboTax-style step-by-step wizard |
| M3 AI Assistant | Instant answers to document questions |
| M4 Submission Guide | Filing instructions for each country |
| M5 Dashboard | Track documents, deadlines, status |
Pricing: From $149/month — all menus, all countries, unlimited documents.
DIY risk: The most dangerous SAS formation mistake is an objet social that is too narrow — it must be amended (requiring a formal associés decision and a Guichet Unique update) whenever the business activity changes. A second common mistake is statuts that do not address what happens when associés disagree on a fundamental decision: without a deadlock mechanism, an impasse requires dissolution or expensive court proceedings.
Expert-comptable or avocat: Standard SAS formation fees in France range from €600–€2,000 depending on complexity. This covers document preparation and filing but typically does not include the nuanced governance advice that a tailored Scrib🐮 wizard session provides through its guided questions.
Scrib🐮: The M2 wizard generates statuts that cover the most common governance gaps, with plain-French explanations at each step. The output is submission-ready for Guichet Unique. At $149/month, the same pass covers bail commercial (commercial lease) and contrat de travail (employment contract) templates if you need them simultaneously.
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MmowW Scrib🐮 is a document preparation service, not a law firm.
Q: What is the difference between a SAS and a SASU?
A SASU (Société par Actions Simplifiée Unipersonnelle) is a SAS with a single associé. All governance decisions that would normally require an associés meeting are made by the sole associé in writing. Scrib🐮's M2 wizard covers both structures — select SASU if you are the sole founder, SAS if there are multiple associés.
Q: How long does SAS registration take through Guichet Unique?
Registration through Guichet Unique typically takes 5–10 business days after submission of a complete dossier. Incomplete dossiers result in rejection and resubmission, which significantly extends the timeline. The M4 Submission Guide explains how to prepare a complete dossier.
Q: Does Scrib🐮 cover the annonce légale (legal notice) requirement?
Yes. The M4 Submission Guide explains the annonce légale requirement — a notice of company formation must be published in a journal d'annonces légales (JAL) authorised in the company's département of registration. The M4 guide links to the official list of authorised JALs and explains the required content of the annonce.
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Start 14-Day Free Trial →No credit card required. From $149/month.
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