How to register as a micro-entrepreneur in France

What it is

The micro-entreprise (often still called auto-entrepreneur) is France's simplest status for working for yourself: freelancing, consulting, teaching, selling or a trade. You register online and for free, pay social contributions as a percentage of what you earn, and your bookkeeping is light.

It's for smaller businesses. For 2026, your yearly turnover must stay under:

€203,100 for selling goods, food or accommodation;
€83,600 for services and the liberal professions.

Going over once is fine; going over two years in a row moves you to the normal regime.

Can you register?

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens: yes.
Non-EU citizens: only with a residence permit that allows self-employment, for example the entrepreneur/profession libérale card, a Talent card, a vie privée et familiale card or a resident card. Student and salaried-employee permits usually don't: ask your prefecture before you start.
Already employed in France? You can usually combine both, unless your contract has an exclusivity clause or the activity competes with your employer.

Before you start

You'll need:

ID: passport or EU identity card, and for non-EU citizens your residence permit.
Proof of address in France (recent bill or lease).
Your social security number, if you have one.
A clear description of your activity: it decides whether you're a trade, a craft or a liberal profession.

Steps

Create an account on the Guichet unique (formalites.entreprises.gouv.fr), the official site for business formalities.
Fill in a business creation as a micro-entrepreneur: your activity, start date, address, and whether you'll declare turnover monthly or quarterly.
Upload your documents and sign, including the declaration that you have no criminal ban on running a business.
Get your SIREN/SIRET number from INSEE, usually within a few weeks. URSSAF and the tax office are told automatically.
Create your account on the URSSAF micro-entrepreneur website (autoentrepreneur.urssaf.fr).
Declare your turnover every month or quarter on that website and pay the contributions it calculates. Declare even when it's zero.
Each spring, add your turnover to your French tax return.

Cost

Registering as a micro-entrepreneur on the Guichet unique is free. Contributions are a percentage of your turnover. From your second year you may also pay a local business tax (CFE).

Common pitfalls

Paying a website to register. The official Guichet unique is free; other sites charge for the same form.
Not declaring a zero month or quarter. A missing declaration brings a penalty even when you earned nothing.
Starting on the wrong residence permit. Working for yourself on a permit that doesn't allow it can cost you the permit.
Forgetting the tax return. URSSAF declarations don't replace your yearly income tax return.

When to ask a helper

Ask someone who registered a similar activity recently: they'll know which activity code they chose and how long the SIRET took to arrive.