Self-employed subcontracting in France
Contract rules, vigilance certificate, EUR 5,000 threshold and misclassification risk for French micro-entrepreneurs working as subcontractors.
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.
Self-employed subcontracting in France
Updated March 2026 - A French micro-entrepreneur can work as a subcontractor, but the setup must stay compliant.
Key points
When the contract reaches EUR 5,000 excluding VAT, the ordering party must request a vigilance certificate and renew the check every six months. The other major issue is avoiding an employment relationship in disguise.
Related reading: auto-entrepreneur status, micro-business rules 2026 and micro-business accounting.
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Conclusion
Subcontracting works well when the contract is clear, vigilance checks are done and the independent contractor keeps genuine autonomy.
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Article written by Samuel HAYOT
Chartered Accountant, registered with the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Sources
- Entreprendre.Service-Public - Recourir a la sous-traitance
- Entreprendre.Service-Public - Comment obtenir une attestation de vigilance
- Entreprendre.Service-Public - Que risque une entreprise en cas de travail illegal
- Entreprendre.Service-Public - Comment se distingue le travailleur independant du salarie
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