Accounting Principles in 2026: French GAAP, IFRS and FEC (Complete Guide)
The 9 accounting principles, the French chart of accounts updated by ANC regulation 2022-06, the link with IFRS, the FEC tax audit file and e-invoicing 2026: the framework every Paris-based director must master.
Expert note: This article was written by our chartered accountancy firm. Information is current as of 2026. For a personalised review of your situation, contact us.
Quick answer: what are the French accounting principles and where are they set out?#
French accounting principles are set out in the Plan comptable général (ANC regulation 2014-03 as amended) and Articles L123-12 to L123-28 of the Commercial Code: true and fair view (121-1), going concern (121-2), regularity and sincerity (121-3), prudence (121-4), consistency (121-5), historical cost (213-1), cut-off (112-3), non-offsetting (112-2 and 112-3). They govern the notes and the evidential value of the accounts.
Updated 27 July 2026. Nine principles structure the entire French accounting framework, anchored in the Plan Comptable Général (PCG, ANC regulation 2014-03 as amended) and in Articles L123-12 to L123-28 of the French Commercial Code. ANC regulation 2022-06 of 4 November 2022, applicable to financial years opened on or after 1 January 2025, modernised the financial statements: redesign of the exceptional result, removal of expense transfers (account 79), updated account nomenclature and a reduced number of financial statement templates. For an SME director, a junior CFO, an in-house accountant or a DCG/DSCG student, mastering these foundations is not an academic exercise: it is what allows accounts to be enforceable, defensible in a tax audit and readable by a banker or an investor. Cabinet Hayot Expertise offers a Paris-based overview of the normative framework, the principles, the chart of accounts, the material obligations and the trade-offs to be made in 2026.
Normative framework 2026: French GAAP, IFRS and reference choice#
The PCG (ANC regulation 2014-03) and its version consolidated on 1 January 2026#
The Plan Comptable Général is the reference framework for the statutory (individual) accounts of French companies. It is carried by Autorité des Normes Comptables (ANC) regulation No. 2014-03 of 5 June 2014, approved by ministerial order and regularly amended. The most significant overhaul is ANC regulation 2022-06 of 4 November 2022, approved by ministerial order of 26 December 2023 and applicable to financial years opened on or after 1 January 2025 (early application possible for years opened on or after 1 January 2024). It covers four workstreams: redesign of the exceptional result, removal of expense transfers (account 79), updated account nomenclature and a reduced number of financial statement templates. The version of the PCG in force on 1 January 2026 also consolidates ANC regulation 2024-07 of 6 December 2024 (debt versus other equity distinction, new Articles 314-1 to 316-1, non-repayable funds and conditional advances, approved by order of 26 December 2025), ANC regulation 2025-01 of 7 February 2025 and ANC regulation 2025-02 of 4 April 2025, issued for Articles 48 and 95 of the 2025 finance act (Article 48: exceptional contribution on the profits of large companies; Article 95: taxes on capital reductions). Beware of a widespread research trap: ANC regulation 2025-04 of 4 April 2025, often quoted as a PCG overhaul, actually covers the chart of accounts of judicial officers and is not among the regulations consolidated into the PCG on 1 January 2026.
When IFRS apply: consolidated accounts of EU-listed companies#
IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards), issued by the IFRS Foundation, are mandatory for the consolidated accounts of European companies listed on a regulated market, under EU regulation 1606/2002. An unlisted French SME with no material international subsidiary remains exclusively under the PCG. By contrast, an Euronext-listed mid-cap, a listed REIT or the French subsidiary of a US-listed group must produce consolidated accounts in IFRS, while keeping its statutory accounts in PCG. US GAAP have no direct application in France; they appear in group reporting reconciliations where a French subsidiary belongs to an SEC-registered group.
Role of the ANC and articulation with the Commercial Code#
The ANC is the independent French public authority that issues, through homologated regulations, the rules applicable to the annual and consolidated accounts of private legal entities. It articulates its action with two higher levels of standards: the Commercial Code (Articles L123-12 to L123-28) which lays down the legal obligations to keep accounts, and European law (Accounting Directive 2013/34/EU, IFRS regulation). A Paris-based director must therefore read the accounts through three lenses: the Commercial Code for obligations, ANC regulation 2014-03 as consolidated on 1 January 2026 for methods, and the BOFiP tax doctrine (BOI-BIC-DECLA-30) for tax restatements.
The 9 fundamental accounting principles#
Going concern, consistency of methods, independence of exercises#
The going concern principle (Article 121-2 PCG, Article L123-20 Commercial Code) requires accounts to be prepared on the assumption that the entity continues its activity. Otherwise (insolvency, cessation, liquidation), assets are valued at liquidation value, which radically alters the balance sheet. The consistency principle (Article 121-5 PCG, Article L123-17) requires the same valuation and presentation rules from one exercise to the next; any change must be justified and disclosed in the notes. The independence of exercises (Article 112-3 PCG, Article L123-13 paragraph 2 of the Commercial Code), often called cut-off, requires income and expenses to be attached to the exercise they relate to, through prepaid expenses, accrued income, invoices not yet received and accrued expenses. This is the mechanism that separates a rigorous accountant from a sloppy one.
Historical cost, prudence, true and fair view#
Historical cost (Article 213-1 PCG, Article L123-18 of the Commercial Code), also called monetary nominalism, requires assets to be recorded at acquisition or production cost, not at market value. Exception: trading financial instruments and certain hedging transactions. The prudence principle (Article 121-4 PCG, Article L123-20) requires the recognition of probable losses as soon as they are known, but forbids the recognition of unrealised gains until they are realised. In practice: a probable inventory write-down is booked immediately, an unrealised capital gain on a fixed asset is never booked. The true and fair view (Article L123-14) is the overriding objective: accounts must give a true and fair view of the entity's assets, financial position and result. When a technical rule leads to a misleading presentation, the true and fair view prevails, with disclosure in the notes.
Non-offsetting, intangibility, materiality#
The non-offsetting principle (Articles 112-2 and 112-3 PCG, Article L123-19 of the Commercial Code) requires assets and liabilities, income and expenses, to be measured separately. A late customer and a supplier to be paid do not net out. The intangibility of the opening balance sheet (Article 112-2 PCG, Article L123-19 paragraph 3) guarantees that the opening balance sheet of an exercise corresponds to the closing balance sheet of the previous one before appropriation of the result: no retroactive entry may modify a closed exercise. Materiality is a transversal concept of the PCG and ANC doctrine: only significant information, capable of influencing the decision of the user of the accounts, must be disclosed in detail. No legal text sets a figure. In our own files, our working benchmark sits between 1% and 5% of the total balance sheet or of turnover depending on context: a firm practice to be documented, not an enforceable rule.
The nine principles and their exact legal basis#
| Principle | PCG basis | Commercial Code basis | What it requires in practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Going concern | art. 121-2 | L123-20 | Measure on a continuing-activity basis, at liquidation value otherwise |
| Consistency of methods | art. 121-5 | L123-17 | Change a method only on justified grounds, disclosed in the notes |
| Cut-off (independence of exercises) | art. 112-3 | L123-13 para. 2 | Prepaid expenses, accrued income, invoices not received, accrued expenses |
| Historical cost | art. 213-1 | L123-18 | Record assets at acquisition or production cost |
| Prudence | art. 121-4 | L123-20 | Recognise probable losses, never unrealised gains |
| True and fair view | art. 121-1 | L123-14 | Depart from a rule if it makes the accounts misleading, and disclose it |
| Non-offsetting | art. 112-2 and 112-3 | L123-19 | Measure assets and liabilities, income and expenses separately |
| Intangibility of the opening balance sheet | art. 112-2 | L123-19 para. 3 | Carry forward the prior closing balance sheet, before appropriation |
| Materiality | doctrine, no dedicated article | (not applicable) | Disclose what may influence the decision of the reader of the accounts |
One widespread confusion is worth clearing up: subsection 121 of the PCG lists only five principles for the preparation of annual accounts (true and fair view 121-1, comparability and going concern 121-2, regularity and sincerity 121-3, prudence 121-4, consistency of methods 121-5). The « nine principles » of the French DCG syllabus are a perfectly legitimate doctrinal framing, but four of them attach to other PCG articles (112-2, 112-3, 213-1) and materiality has no dedicated article at all; conversely, regularity and sincerity (121-3) do not appear in the doctrinal list of nine, as the « PCG basis » column shows. Quoting Article 313-1 for cut-off or Article 214-1 for historical cost is the most frequent error in the revision sheets in circulation: the former covers regulated provisions, the latter the amortisation of assets with a limited useful life.
The chart of accounts: the grammar of accounting#
The 8 classes of accounts and their logic#
The French chart of accounts organises entries into 8 classes, five balance sheet classes (1 to 5) and three classes for expenses, income and special accounts (6, 7 and 8), each account being subdivided into sub-accounts according to its root. That root drives how a balance reads: the same euro booked in class 6 rather than class 2 changes both the result of the exercise and the balance sheet. The detail of the classes, roots and sub-accounts is covered in our dedicated article on reading a chart of accounts.
Balance sheet accounts vs P&L accounts#
Classes 1 to 5 feed the balance sheet (patrimonial position at closing). Classes 6 and 7 feed the income statement (flows of the exercise) and are closed each year. Class 8 is used for off-balance-sheet commitments and pending transactions. This dichotomy allows a mechanical roll-up: the result of the exercise (difference 7 minus 6) feeds account 12 on the balance sheet, which is then allocated by the AGM into reserves, retained earnings or dividends.
Sectoral customisation#
The PCG admits professional charts of accounts adapted to specific activities: associations (ANC regulation 2018-06), co-ownerships, real estate investment companies, regulated professions, agricultural companies, etc. A corporate-taxed SCI follows the general PCG; an income-taxed SCI keeps a simplified accounting. The principle is to retain the PCG backbone (classes and main accounts) while allowing sectoral subdivisions. For a specific activity, the right reflex is to check the applicable sectoral ANC regulation.
Books and material obligations#
Daily journal, general ledger, inventory book#
Article L123-12 of the Commercial Code requires the chronological recording of movements affecting the entity's assets, an inventory at least once every twelve months and the preparation of annual accounts at the closing of the exercise. This obligation translates materially into three books. The daily journal records chronologically, transaction by transaction, all movements affecting the patrimony. The general ledger reorganises these entries by chart-of-accounts code. The inventory book historically summarised assets and liabilities at closing (the formal obligation was removed in 2016, but the content remains required as an annual inventory). These books must be kept without blanks or alterations, and the entries must be supported by dated and probative supporting documents.
10-year retention and accepted formats#
Article L123-22 requires the retention of accounting documents for 10 years from the closing of the exercise. The original paper form is no longer required: dematerialisation is authorised provided that authenticity, integrity and legibility are guaranteed (decree of 22 March 2017). Accepted formats include PDF/A, structured XML, and exports from accounting software, subject to time-stamping and probative electronic signature. Cloud-based accounting must give access to the data in case of audit, in a format usable by the tax administration.
FEC and tax audit obligations#
The FEC (Fichier des Écritures Comptables) is codified in Article L47 A of the Tax Procedure Code and specified in Article A47 A-1 LPF. Any entity keeping its accounts in computerised form must be able to produce, at the very start of a tax audit, an FEC in normalised format: flat file with sequential organisation and zoned structure, in ASCII, ISO 8859-15 or Unicode ISO/IEC 10646 UTF-8 character sets, fields separated by a tab or by the « | » character, 18 mandatory fields in a set order (journal, date, account, label, debit, credit, lettering, etc.), entries sorted by chronological order of validation. Contrary to a widespread belief, accounting software carries no certification obligation: the requirement in Article 286, I-3° bis of the French Tax Code targets cash register software and systems only, accounting and management software having been carved out by Article 105 of loi n° 2017-1837 of 30 December 2017 (finance act for 2018). What is enforceable in an audit is the ability to produce an FEC compliant with Article A47 A-1 LPF. The most widely used 2026 software (Pennylane, Cegid Quadra/Loop, Sage Compta, EBP, Inqom, Indy) produces a compliant FEC natively. For a full deep-dive, see our article dedicated to the FEC tax audit file.
Accounting software and cash register software: the certification duty does not cover both+
The certification requirement in Article 286, I-3° bis of the French Tax Code targets cash register software and systems, meaning systems with a function allowing payments received to be stored and recorded outside the accounts. Its initial scope was narrowed by Article 105 of loi n° 2017-1837 of 30 December 2017 (finance act for 2018): accounting and management software was carved out.
In other words, referring to « certified accounting software » is a regulatory misnomer. What is genuinely enforceable in an audit is the ability to produce an FEC compliant with Article A47 A-1 LPF, whose format is set out below.
Failing that, the fine under Article 1729 D of the Tax Code is €5,000, and the real risk is rejection of the accounts followed by an ex officio assessment. The reassessment period can reach 10 years where an undisclosed activity is found (Article L169 LPF), which matches the 10-year retention duty of Article L123-22 of the Commercial Code.
Simplified regimes: who can lighten their accounting#
Basic system, simplified presentation and micro-entity status#
The Commercial Code scales accounting obligations to the size of the entity (Articles L123-16, L123-16-1 and L123-25, thresholds in Article D123-200). The basic system applies by default: full annual accounts (balance sheet, income statement, developed notes). The simplified presentation of accounts open to small entities (Article L123-16 of the Commercial Code, thresholds in Article D123-200: €7,500,000 total balance sheet, €15,000,000 net turnover, 50 employees, two of the three not to be exceeded) allows abridged notes and certain valuation simplifications. The micro-entity accounting status (Article D123-200: €450,000 total balance sheet, €900,000 net turnover, 10 employees, two thresholds out of three) opens the exemption from preparing notes (Article L123-16-1). Cash-basis accounting during the year, with receivables and payables recognised at closing, comes from an entirely different provision: Article L123-25, reserved for individuals placed, by law or by election, under the simplified real tax regime.
Micro-entrepreneur regime and cash accounting#
The micro-entrepreneur regime (micro-BIC, micro-BNC) is based on a lump-sum allowance for professional expenses and exempts the micro-entrepreneur from commercial bookkeeping. Only a chronological receipts book is required, supplemented for resale activities by a purchase register. This simplification has a downside: no ability to deduct actual expenses, and a capped turnover threshold (€203,100 for sale of goods, €83,600 for services in 2026, to be verified annually). Beyond, automatic switch to simplified real regime.
2026 thresholds for each regime#
Thresholds are periodically re-evaluated by decree to track inflation. The values applicable in 2026 are known: they come from décret n° 2024-152 of 28 February 2024, in force since 1 March 2024 and applicable to financial years opened on or after 1 January 2024. Still quoting the former thresholds (€350K / €700K / 10 employees and €6M / €12M / 50 employees) is the most common mistake on this topic. Recommended practice: check each year at closing the thresholds crossed over the last two exercises, as a durable crossing shifts the entity to the higher regime, with direct impact on the notes, publication obligations and possible obligation to appoint a statutory auditor.
Accounting thresholds: what décret n° 2024-152 changed+
| Category (art. D123-200) | Total balance sheet | Net turnover | Employees | What the category opens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Micro-entities, former thresholds | €350,000 | €700,000 | 10 | No longer in force since 1 March 2024 |
| Micro-entities, current thresholds | €450,000 | €900,000 | 10 | Exemption from preparing notes (art. L123-16-1) |
| Small entities, former thresholds | €6,000,000 | €12,000,000 | 50 | No longer in force since 1 March 2024 |
| Small entities, current thresholds | €7,500,000 | €15,000,000 | 50 | Simplified presentation of accounts (art. L123-16) |
| Medium entities, current thresholds | €25,000,000 | €50,000,000 | 250 | Intermediate category defined by Article D123-200 |
Two thresholds out of three are enough: an entity stays in the category as long as it does not exceed two of the three criteria.
Two traps to avoid. First, these thresholds govern the presentation of the accounts (Article L123-16) and the exemption from notes (Article L123-16-1): they do not decide the tax regime. Second, cash-basis accounting during the year, with receivables and payables recognised at closing, does not depend on them: it comes from Article L123-25 and is open only to individuals placed, by law or by election, under the simplified real tax regime.
French GAAP vs IFRS: divergences to know#
Historical cost versus fair value#
The PCG privileges historical cost: assets sit on the balance sheet at acquisition cost, less amortisation and impairment. IFRS broadly accept fair value (mark-to-market) for financial instruments, investment property (IAS 40), certain biological assets. Consequence: the same building can appear at €2M on the PCG balance sheet (historical cost less amortisation) and at €4.5M on the IFRS balance sheet (fair value). The IFRS result then incorporates fair value movements, making it more volatile than the PCG result.
Goodwill, leasing, retirement provisions#
Three emblematic divergences. Fonds commercial: presumed to have an unlimited useful life under the PCG, therefore not amortised and only impairment-tested (Article 214-3), with impairments never reversed; goodwill is likewise not amortised but tested annually under IFRS (IAS 36). The divergence lies in the mechanics of the test, not in any systematic French amortisation. Leasing: PCG records rent as a class 6 expense; IFRS 16 books a right-of-use asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet. Retirement provisions (IFC commitment): full provisioning is the PCG reference method (Article 324-1), off-balance-sheet disclosure being a mere option; provisioning is mandatory under IFRS (IAS 19). These three subjects are the main reconciliation items when moving from French statutory accounts to a group's consolidated IFRS accounts. If your French entity reports into a foreign parent, this bridge is precisely the monthly deliverable English-speaking accountants in France produce for group controllers.
Presentation by nature versus by function#
The PCG historically requires an income statement presentation by nature (purchases, external services, personnel expenses, depreciation). The PCG opens no by-function option: classes 6 and 7 record expenses and income by nature, with no alternative. Presentation by function (cost of sales, selling expenses, administrative expenses, R&D expenses) belongs to IFRS only. That format comes from IAS 1, replaced by IFRS 18 (Presentation and Disclosure in Financial Statements, issued on 9 April 2024) for financial years opened on or after 1 January 2027: an IFRS group will have to revisit its income statement presentation, with no effect on French statutory accounts.
Fonds commercial: why « amortised over 10 years by default » is wrong+
The presumption in Article 214-3 of the PCG also covers the share of technical goodwill allocated to the fonds commercial, and it carries a consequence that revision sheets tend to forget: amortisation is the exception, not the rule. It applies only where the presumption is rebutted against the criteria of Article 214-1: the fonds is then amortised over its useful life, or over 10 years where that duration cannot be reliably determined. On top of that sits an option open to small entities within the meaning of Article L123-16 of the Commercial Code: in the individual accounts, they may amortise all their fonds commerciaux over 10 years.
The divergence with IFRS is real, but it is not « French amortisation versus Anglo-Saxon testing »: on both sides the principle is non-amortisation coupled with a test, and it is the mechanics of that test that differ (IAS 36 on the IFRS side).
Recent PCG changes and e-invoicing#
Sustainability and CSRD: a separate report, not an accounting note#
The PCG in force on 1 January 2026 contains no ESRS data (European Sustainability Reporting Standards) in the accounting notes: sustainability reporting under the CSRD takes the form of a report separate from the annual accounts. Large companies subject to the CSRD disclose their greenhouse gas emissions, energy intensity and social indicators in that sustainability report, which is separate from the annual accounts and must remain consistent with them. SMEs are not directly subject to the CSRD but may be required by their large clients to provide data (value-chain ripple effect).
Fonds commercial and the debt versus other equity distinction#
Beware of the most frequent misreading on this topic: the fonds commercial is presumed to have an unlimited useful life (Article 214-3 PCG). It is therefore not amortised by default: it is impairment-tested, and impairments booked on it are never reversed. Amortisation applies only where that presumption is rebutted, over the useful life or over 10 years where that duration cannot be reliably determined; small entities within the meaning of Article L123-16 of the Commercial Code may also elect, in the individual accounts, to amortise all their fonds commerciaux over 10 years. The PCG in force on 1 January 2026 also incorporates ANC regulation 2024-07 of 6 December 2024, which clarifies the distinction between debt and other equity (new Articles 314-1 to 316-1, non-repayable funds and conditional advances).
E-invoicing schedule 2026-2027#
The e-invoicing calendar is now confirmed: mandatory reception for all companies on 1 September 2026, mandatory issuance on 1 September 2026 for large companies and mid-caps, and 1 September 2027 for SMEs and micro-entrepreneurs. Article 289 bis of the French Tax Code requires the issuance, transmission and reception of electronic invoices to go through an approved platform (plateforme agréée, the new name for PDPs): the public invoicing portal is no longer an invoice exchange channel, the State providing only the recipient directory and the concentrator. The accounting impact is major: possible automation of supplier data entry, but even stricter traceability of entries and reinforced mandatory invoice mentions. Our SME guide to e-invoicing 2026 details the operational implementation.
Our reading at Cabinet Hayot Expertise#
The trade-off: internalise or outsource accounting#
In the files we handle in Paris, three scenarios coexist. A micro-entity or VSB (turnover < €500K): full outsourcing, shared software (Pennylane, Indy), automated entry and annual closing by the firm. An SME at €2M to €15M: hybrid model, with an in-house bookkeeper, supervision and review by the firm, monthly FEC production. A mid-cap or group: internal CFO or outsourced CFO, structured accounting team, firm engaged on review or statutory audit. The decisive criterion is not raw size but operational complexity (multi-site, multi-country, multi-framework, ongoing fundraising).
The underestimated risk: an FEC that cannot be produced in an audit#
Frequently asked questions
What are the 9 French accounting principles?
French accounting doctrine retains nine structuring principles, anchored in the Plan comptable général (ANC regulation 2014-03 as amended) and in the Commercial Code: going concern (Article 121-2 PCG, Article L123-20), consistency of methods (Article 121-5 PCG, Article L123-17), independence of exercises or cut-off (Article 112-3 PCG, Article L123-13 paragraph 2), historical cost (Article 213-1 PCG, Article L123-18), prudence (Article 121-4 PCG, Article L123-20), true and fair view (Article 121-1 PCG, Article L123-14), non-offsetting (Articles 112-2 and 112-3 PCG, Article L123-19), intangibility of the opening balance sheet (Article 112-2 PCG, Article L123-19 paragraph 3) and materiality. Subsection 121 of the PCG itself lists only five, including regularity and sincerity (Article 121-3). Any treatment departing from these principles must be justified in the notes in the name of the true and fair view.
What is the difference between French GAAP (PCG) and IFRS in 2026?
The PCG is the French framework applicable to statutory annual accounts. IFRS are mandatory for the consolidated accounts of European companies listed on a regulated market (EU regulation 1606/2002). Main divergences: historical cost under the PCG versus fair value under IFRS; the fonds commercial presumed to have an unlimited useful life, therefore not amortised and only impairment-tested under the PCG (Article 214-3), goodwill not amortised but tested annually under IFRS (IAS 36); rent expensed under the PCG versus a right-of-use asset under IFRS 16; retirement commitments whose full provisioning is the PCG reference method (Article 324-1) and is mandatory under IAS 19. Worth watching: IAS 1 is replaced by IFRS 18 for financial years opened on or after 1 January 2027. An unlisted SME stays exclusively under the PCG.
How long must accounting records be kept?
Article L123-22 of the Commercial Code requires accounting records to be kept for 10 years from the closing of the exercise. That duration covers the accounting books, the supporting documents and the annual financial statements. Retention may be on paper or electronic, provided authenticity, integrity and legibility are guaranteed (decree of 22 March 2017). In a tax audit, the reassessment period can reach 10 years where an undisclosed activity is found (Article L169 LPF), which is precisely why aligning on that horizon is the safe practice.
What is the FEC and who must produce it?
The Fichier des Écritures Comptables, codified in Article L47 A of the Tax Procedure Code and specified in Article A47 A-1, is a standardised file that any entity keeping computerised accounts must produce at the very start of a tax audit. It is a flat file with sequential organisation and zoned structure, in ASCII, ISO 8859-15 or Unicode UTF-8 character sets, fields separated by a tab or by the « | » character, with 18 mandatory fields in a set order and entries sorted by chronological order of validation. Micro-entrepreneurs are exempt as long as they keep no computerised accounts. A missing or non-compliant file can trigger rejection of the accounts and a fine of 5,000 euros (Article 1729 D of the Tax Code).
When does e-invoicing become mandatory for my SME?
The confirmed timetable requires mandatory reception for all companies on 1 September 2026, mandatory issuance on 1 September 2026 for large companies and mid-caps, and on 1 September 2027 for SMEs and micro-entrepreneurs. Article 289 bis of the French Tax Code requires the issuance, transmission and reception of electronic invoices to go through an approved platform (plateforme agréée): the public invoicing portal is no longer an invoice exchange channel, the State providing only the recipient directory and the concentrator. An SME must therefore be able to receive electronic invoices from September 2026, which means choosing an approved platform and adapting its accounting software.
Do I need an accountant, or is software enough?
Accounting software such as Pennylane, Cegid or Sage is technically enough to produce entries and a compliant FEC. A useful clarification: no certification is required of accounting software, since the obligation in Article 286, I-3° bis of the French Tax Code targets cash register software and systems only. Software is not enough, however, to settle questions of accounting qualification, of principles, of tax compliance, nor to represent the company before the tax administration. For a simple micro-business, software plus an annual review may be sufficient. In our own files, our benchmark is that beyond roughly 500,000 euros of turnover, or where complexity appears, regular support from a chartered accountant becomes a key factor of legal and tax security.
Article written by Samuel HAYOT
Chartered Accountant, registered with the Institute of Chartered Accountants. Certified Pennylane trainer.
Regulated French accounting and audit firm based in Paris 8, built to support companies across France with a digital and decision-oriented approach.
Sources
Official and operational sources cited for this page.
- Légifrance - Articles L123-12 à L123-28 du Code de commerce (comptabilité des commerçants)
- Légifrance - Article L123-12 du Code de commerce
- ANC - Règlement n° 2014-03 relatif au Plan Comptable Général (consolidé)
- ANC - Recueils des normes comptables (Plan comptable général, version au 1er janvier 2026)
- BOFiP - BOI-BIC-DECLA-30 (BIC, obligations déclaratives)
- Légifrance - Article L47 A du Livre des procédures fiscales (fichier des écritures comptables)
- Conseil national de l'ordre des experts-comptables (CNOEC) - portail de la profession
- IFRS Foundation - Normes IFRS
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