The steps to changing the name of a French company
There are many situations in which you could want to change the name of your company. It could be because your company merged with another, or simply because the name you chose at first isn’t ideal for your activity. Regardless, if you want to modify the name of your company, there’s a certain procedure to follow.
Modifying the name in the by-laws of the company
The name of the company appears in its by-laws. As a result, the first thing you need to do is to modify the by-laws of the company, which can be a fair bit of work. This does mean that you’ll have to hold an Extraordinary General Meeting, for instance.
If you want to know exactly how to do this: How to change the by-laws of a French company
Publishing the modification in a newspaper
After changing the by-laws, you also have to publish an official notice in a Legal Announcement Journal, which needs to mention both the old name and the new one.
It’s worth noting that this step can thankfully be done online!
Filing a demand to change the name to the Commercial Court
You then need to file a demand to the commercial court where your company is located. This demand must be made up of several documents:
- The so-called “Cerfa M2” form filled in (you can find the form online)
- Certified copies of the name change act
- Additional certified copies of the notice in the Legal Announcement Journal
- The payment to the Commercial court (205.5€, but it can vary depending on the department)
- The agreement of the legal representative of the company
- If you need a license to practice your activity, a certificate from the institution that delivers these licenses
How much does it cost to change the name of a company?
Excluding the costs linked to the organization of the Extraordinary General Meeting, there are 3 fees you’ll have to pay:
- The Legal Announcement Journal publishing fees (About 150 €)
- Court fees (205.5 €)
- If you decided to enlist the help of a lawyer, you can expect to pay an additional 500 € to 1000 €
