Changing Your Company's Registered Office Address: The Complete 2026 Procedure

A move to new premises, the end of a contract with a registered agent, a wish to bring the registered office closer to customers, or simply the need to professionalize a business address: there is no shortage of reasons to change a company's registered address. Yet this process remains poorly understood by small business owners, who often discover too late that it involves precise formalities, legal deadlines, and a cost that varies according to the legal structure. Here is the complete procedure for changing your company's registered address in 2026, without mistakes or unpleasant surprises.

Why change your company's registered address?

A change of registered address can be forced or chosen. Forced, when the lease on commercial premises comes to an end, when a registered-office provider stops trading, or when the manager's personal home no longer fits the bill. Chosen, when the company grows and wants an address that better represents its activity, moves closer to its market or its second office (a Marseille-based company opening a branch in Paris, for example), or simply wants to cut fixed costs.

Whatever the reason, the administrative process differs greatly depending on whether the business is a sole trader or a company registered with the Trade and Companies Register (RCS).

Two scenarios depending on your legal structure

Sole traders and micro-entrepreneurs: a lighter process

Sole traders (EI) and micro-entrepreneurs are exempt from the heavier registered-office transfer procedure that applies to companies. They simply need to declare the change of address directly on the INPI's one-stop shop (Guichet unique) and provide proof of address for the new location. No legal notice is required, and registry fees are free for micro-entrepreneurs. We already covered the rules and legal duration of this option in our article on registering a company at home.

Companies (SARL, SASU, SAS, EURL...): the full procedure

For a company, changing the registered address is legally classified as a registered office transfer. It is a change to the articles of association that follows a precise formal process, governed in particular by Article L223-18 of the French Commercial Code for SARLs. The decision rests with the manager alone if the articles of association allow it, or must be approved at an extraordinary general meeting otherwise. Real estate companies (SCI) follow specific rules, which we covered in our article on registering an SCI's address.

The step-by-step procedure in 2026

Since January 1, 2025, all business creation, modification, and deregistration procedures must be carried out exclusively on the INPI's one-stop shop website, which has fully replaced the former business formality centers. Three to four steps are required for a registered office transfer.

1. The transfer decision and the update of the articles of association

The manager (or the shareholders at a general meeting) formally records the transfer decision in written minutes, then the company's articles of association are updated with the new address.

2. Publishing a legal notice

A legal notice must be published in an authorized newspaper in the department of the new registered office. If the company stays within the same court jurisdiction, one notice is enough. However, if the transfer crosses into a different department, two notices are required: one in the department being left and one in the department of arrival, which logically doubles this expense.

3. Filing the declaration on the INPI's one-stop shop

The final step is to submit the complete file (minutes, updated articles of association, proof of the new premises or a certificate from the registered-office provider, proof of publication of the legal notice) on the one-stop shop. This filing triggers the update of the Trade and Companies Register (RCS), the National Business Register (RNE), and publication in the BODACC official gazette.

The company's legal representative has a legal deadline of one month to declare the registered office transfer to the one-stop shop for business formalities. Beyond this deadline, the company is exposed to penalties.

How much does a change of registered address cost in 2026?

The budget depends directly on the legal structure and on whether the new registered office stays within the same department. According to data compiled by TPE-PME.com for 2026, the total cost of mandatory fees (legal notice and registry fees) ranges between €296.81 and €472.63 depending on the case, with a minimum of around €185 for an SASU staying within the same jurisdiction and a maximum close to €454 for an SARL moving to a different department.

• Legal notice: starting at €109 excl. tax if the registered office stays in the same department, rising to around €220-260 incl. tax for a double notice (change of department).
• Registry fees: starting at €188.81 excl. tax, with a possible discount for SASUs and EURLs.
• Using an online legal platform: expect to pay between €150 and €250 excl. tax in service fees on top of the legal fees, if you do not file the declaration yourself. Filing directly on the one-stop shop is free.

On top of this, where applicable, comes the cost of the new registered-office contract itself: €10 to €70 per month for a standard registered-office provider, more for a coworking space that includes a business address.

What timeline should you plan for, from start to finish?

Processing by the registry court generally takes between 5 and 10 business days once the complete file has been submitted, but you need to add the preparation time upstream: drafting the minutes, updating the articles of association, and above all the publication delay for the legal notice, which depends on the newspaper chosen. Overall, it is best to plan for 2 to 4 weeks between the decision and the effective update in the RCS. This timeline can lengthen if a change of department requires a double legal notice.

Choosing your new registered address

A registered office transfer is also an opportunity to rethink your location strategy. Five options exist: the manager's personal home, a commercial registered-office provider, a business incubator, a coworking space, or standard commercial premises. For a company that reaches beyond its home region, registering its office in a major hub such as Marseille, the economic heart of the PACA region, or taking advantage of a presence in Paris can strengthen credibility with customers and partners, while also simplifying the handling of business mail. This is a decision not to be taken lightly: the address appears on all of the company's official documents, quotes, and invoices.

Mistakes to avoid when changing your registered address

• Forgetting to cancel the previous registered-office contract: the new contract does not automatically replace the old one, which otherwise keeps being invoiced.
• Missing the one-month legal deadline to declare the transfer, which exposes the company to penalties and delays the update of the official company registration certificate (Kbis).
• Overlooking the impact on the local business property tax (CFE), which is calculated based on the municipality of establishment as of January 1 of the year.
• Failing to notify partners and customers before the change takes effect, which can lead to lost mail or parcels during the transition.
• Confusing a change of company name with a change of registered office: these are two separate formalities, even though they can be carried out in parallel on the one-stop shop.

To secure the process from start to finish, relying on dedicated support helps avoid back-and-forth with the registry court. Majoli helps entrepreneurs across France choose and set up a business registered-office solution suited to their activity, with full support through every formality. Feel free to get in touch for personalized support with your registered office transfer project.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a change of registered address always require a legal notice?

No. Sole traders and micro-entrepreneurs are exempt: a simple declaration on the INPI's one-stop shop with proof of address is enough. However, any company registered with the RCS (SARL, SASU, SAS, EURL...) must publish a legal notice, or even two if the registered office moves to a different department.

Can you register your company at home after a registered office transfer?

Yes, the manager's home remains one of the five possible registered-office options, with no time limit under Article L123-11-1 of the French Commercial Code, unless the lease or the co-ownership rules state otherwise. It is still worth checking that this option matches the professional image the company wants to project.

What happens to the Kbis certificate after a change of address?

The Kbis is automatically updated by the registry court once the transfer file has been processed, usually within 5 to 10 business days. The company receives a new Kbis showing the new registered office address, which should then be sent to its bank, insurers, and main suppliers.

Does a registered office transfer affect local taxes?

Yes, the local business property tax (CFE) is calculated based on the municipality of establishment as of January 1 of the tax year. A registered office transfer during the year therefore only affects the CFE from the following tax year onward, which is worth anticipating in the company's cash flow planning.

How far in advance should you plan a registered office transfer?

Plan for 2 to 4 weeks between the transfer decision and the effective update in the RCS, factoring in the time needed to draft documents, publish the legal notice, and have the file processed by the registry court. This timeline can be longer during periods of high demand at registry courts or if the file is incomplete.