The business is registered, or about to be, and the first client asks for an IBAN to pay the invoice. So an account has to be opened, and the online form immediately asks for supporting documents. The documents needed to open a business account are almost always the same: a handful of papers you can gather in an evening once you know which ones to prepare.
Here is the common base for every application, the documents specific to each legal status, the additional proofs some providers ask for, the steps of an online opening and what to do if an application is turned down.
Key points at a glance:
- The documents needed to open a business bank account come down to three items: a valid ID document of the director, a proof of address or registered office under three months old and proof of registration, usually the Siren number.
- A micro-entrepreneur provides the same documents, whether the account dedicated to the business is a personal or a business account.
- A company being set up replaces the Siren number with its draft articles of association. The account stays provisional until registration, while the share capital is deposited.
- If an application is refused, the Banque de France can designate an institution that must open the account: this is the right to an account (droit au compte).
Which documents do you need to open a business account?
Which document should you prepare first? The lists vary slightly from one provider to another, but the core stays the same, whether you run an SAS or a micro-enterprise. The documents needed to open a business bank account answer three questions: who is opening the account, where the business is based and under which number it is registered. Each document answers one of them.
A valid ID document
An identity card, a valid passport or a residence permit are the documents listed by service-public.gouv.fr. For a company, the ID of the legal representative is required, usually the president or the managing director. If that representative is itself a legal entity, another company for example, its own proof of registration serves as the ID. Accounts opened online generally add a remote check, by selfie or by video, to confirm that the person filling in the application is the person on the document.
Proof of address or registered office
This document proves the address of the business, which is often the director’s own address at the start. Service-public.gouv.fr accepts a precise list: rent receipt, water, gas, electricity, internet or landline bill, home insurance certificate, all less than three months old. Also accepted are the latest tax notice (avis d’imposition or de non-imposition), the title deed of the main residence, a commercial or professional lease and a domiciliation contract if the business is hosted by a domiciliation company. If you live at someone else’s address, a sworn statement from the host is enough, together with the host’s ID and own proof of address. This part of the application is simple to put together, as long as you check the dates.
Proof of registration
For a business that already exists, the Siren number is generally enough. Companies and traders listed in the trade and companies register can also provide a Kbis extract, which many providers ask for. Can you open a business account without a Kbis? Yes, in many cases: a micro-entrepreneur who is not listed in the trade and companies register has no Kbis extract, and the Siren number proves registration. For a company being set up, the draft articles of association, or any document supporting the registration request, serve as proof.
| Document | What it proves | Accepted examples |
|---|---|---|
| ID document | The identity of the director or micro-entrepreneur | Identity card, valid passport, residence permit |
| Proof of address or registered office | The address of the business | Energy or internet bill under 3 months old, rent receipt, commercial lease, domiciliation contract |
| Proof of registration | The legal existence of the business | Siren number, Kbis extract, draft articles for a company being set up |
Key takeaway: three documents are enough to build the base of the application. Check that dated proofs are less than three months old and that the same name appears on every document.
Documents by legal status
The documents needed to open a business account do not change in kind from one status to another, but their number does. A micro-enterprise sticks to the base, a registered company often adds its articles of association, and a company being set up follows a two-step process.
Micro-entrepreneurs and sole traders
To open a bank account as a micro-entrepreneur (auto-entrepreneur), service-public.gouv.fr lists the same documents whether the account dedicated to the business is a personal or a business account: a proof of address or registered office of the micro-enterprise and an ID document. The Siren number, received after registration, completes the application at most providers.
Since 15 May 2022, the name of the dedicated account includes the entrepreneur’s name with the words “entrepreneur individuel” or “EI”. To open a business account as a micro-entrepreneur, there are no articles of association and no capital to provide, which makes it the shortest application of all.
Registered companies
To open a business bank account in the name of an SAS, SARL, SASU or EURL, service-public.gouv.fr lists the ID of the legal representative, a proof of the registered office and the company’s Siren number. In practice, many providers also ask for the current articles of association and a Kbis extract.
They also ask about the beneficial owners, meaning the people who hold more than 25% of the capital or voting rights, or control the company in another way. These checks are part of the anti-money-laundering obligations and apply to every provider.
Companies being set up
For a company with share capital, the business account is often opened before registration, so that the capital can be deposited. Before registration, the business bank account is opened in the name of the company in formation, with the future director’s ID, a proof of registered office and the draft articles of association.
The account opened at this stage is provisional. It receives the contributions, and the institution issues a certificate of deposit of funds to add to the registration file. Once the company is registered, its proof of registration releases the funds and finalises the account. Depending on the institution, a certificate of publication of a legal notice or a business forecast may also be requested.
| Status | Base documents | Often requested on top |
|---|---|---|
| Micro-entrepreneur or sole trader (EI) | ID document, proof of address or registered office | Siren number, proof of activity |
| Registered company (SAS, SARL, SASU, EURL) | ID of the legal representative, proof of registered office, Siren number | Articles of association, Kbis extract, information on beneficial owners |
| Company being set up | ID of the future director, proof of registered office, draft articles of association | Certificate of publication of a legal notice, business forecast |
Additional supporting documents
Beyond the three base documents, opening a business account can lead to further questions. They help the provider understand the business and comply with international tax rules. These are the supporting documents you are most likely to meet:
In short: the additional documents serve identity checks and tax rules. Preparing them before you start the application makes the review noticeably shorter.
How do you open a business account online?
Opening a business account online replaces the branch appointment with a form and a remote check. The order of the steps is much the same everywhere, and the file prepared above serves at each of them.
Offers differ by legal form: micro-enterprises and sole traders on one side, companies on the other. Compare the plans by the number of cards, the invoicing and the transfers you need.
Enter the identity of the person opening the account, then the business profile: name, legal form, registration number, address and sector of activity.
Most online accounts ask for a selfie and a photo of the ID document. In a company, each director may have to confirm their identity the same way.
Upload the documents you gathered: proof of address or registered office, articles of association if needed, proof of activity. Readable, up-to-date files avoid back-and-forth.
Once the application is approved, the IBAN is available. Share it with your clients, order the cards and invite the team members who need access.
How long does it take? Opening a business account takes anything from a few minutes online to several days in a branch. The applications that wait longest are those where a document is missing or out of date, which is why it pays to check everything before sending the application.
Opening a business account with Vivid
Vivid offers an online business account to SAS, SARL, SASU, EURL, sole traders and micro-entrepreneurs, for businesses that are already registered. The application takes about 10 minutes, and Vivid uses official registers to pre-fill as much information about the business as possible. The documents requested depend on the status:
Every plan includes unlimited French IBANs. Paid plans start at €6.90/month billed annually, or €8.90/month billed monthly, with Basic for companies and Prime for freelancers. A file prepared for one provider works for another too: with the three base documents at hand, the application can be completed in one go.
Vivid in brief: an online application of about 10 minutes, an opening in 10 minutes to 1 hour in most cases and a business account from €0/month with the Free Start or Standard plans.
Refused application: the right to an account
A provider may turn down an application to open a business account. In that case, it issues a certificate or a letter of refusal. This document makes it possible to refer the matter to the Banque de France, which then designates a credit institution tasked with opening the account.
This procedure, known as the right to an account (droit au compte) and set out in Article L312-1 of the French Monetary and Financial Code, gives access to the basic services guaranteed by law: account keeping, receiving payments, transfers and a payment card. The business therefore has an account in every case, and can then compare other offers at its own pace.
A business account opened online
With Vivid, the application is online and takes about 10 minutes, with unlimited French IBANs and Visa debit cards. The Free Start and Standard plans cost €0/month.
Frequently asked questions
Which documents do you need to open a business account?
The base comes down to three documents: a valid ID document of the director, a proof of address or registered office under three months old and proof of registration, usually the Siren number. A company often adds its articles of association and a Kbis extract.
Can you open a business account without a Kbis?
Yes. A micro-entrepreneur who is not listed in the trade and companies register has no Kbis extract: the Siren number proves registration. A company being set up provides its draft articles of association and opens a provisional account until registration.
Which documents does a micro-entrepreneur need?
An ID document and a proof of address or registered office, whether the dedicated account is personal or a business account. The Siren number completes the application at most providers. At Vivid, the ID document, the tax number and a proof of activity are usually enough.
Must the proof of address be less than three months old?
Yes for dated proofs: rent receipt, energy, internet or landline bill, home insurance certificate. The latest tax notice, the title deed, a commercial lease or a domiciliation contract are also accepted.
How long does it take to open a business account?
Opening a business account takes from a few minutes online to several days in a branch, depending on the provider and on how complete the application is. At Vivid, it usually takes between 10 minutes and 1 hour.
Is there a fee to open a business account?
It depends on the provider. At Vivid, opening the account is free and the Free Start plan, for companies, and the Standard plan, for freelancers, cost €0/month. Paid plans start at €6.90/month billed annually.
What can you do if your application is refused?
Ask for a certificate or a letter of refusal, then refer the matter to the Banque de France. It designates a credit institution that must open an account with the basic services set out in Article L312-1 of the French Monetary and Financial Code.
This article is general information only and is not legal, tax or accounting advice. The document lists quoted are those published on service-public.gouv.fr; each provider may ask for additional documents. Payment services are provided by Vivid Money S.A., an electronic money institution authorised by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) in Luxembourg, whose French branch is supervised by the Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution (ACPR).
