How to book an appointment with a French accountant: what to prepare and what to expect

Booking an appointment with an expert-comptable (≈ chartered accountant in the French regulated sense) is often the first concrete step for a business founder, a director switching firms, or a freelancer looking to secure their compliance. Yet many people arrive at this meeting without knowing what will be asked of them, what they can expect, or what happens after.

This guide describes the real process: from first contact through to the lettre de mission (engagement letter), including which documents to prepare according to your profile and the timeline for the first weeks of support.

In short: the first meeting with a French accountant is generally free and without commitment. It lasts 30 to 60 minutes, its purpose is to assess your situation, define the scope of the engagement, and produce a fee proposal. The engagement letter is signed afterwards, before any work formally begins.

In the large majority of independent French accounting firms, the initial scoping meeting is offered at no charge and without obligation. This has become standard practice, accelerated since 2020 by the growth of digital firms and video calls, which reduce the marginal cost of a first contact.

This applies to a standard introductory meeting of reasonable length (30 to 60 minutes). Some situations may justify additional billing:

The practical rule: clarify upfront whether the meeting is free or billable. A serious firm answers this question clearly at the point of booking.

The cost of a continuous engagement varies by legal structure, volume of transactions, number of employees, and scope of services. The figures below are indicative for 2026:

These ranges generally cover bookkeeping, tax filings, and annual accounts. Payroll, management advisory, legal support, and one-off assignments are priced separately. Always ask for a detailed proposal by scope, not a single headline figure.

The quality of a first meeting depends directly on your preparation. The more concrete information you bring, the more precisely the accountant can assess your situation and produce a relevant fee proposal.

The table below lists priority documents by profile:

Do not try to gather everything if some documents are missing. Simply indicate what is and is not available. A good scoping meeting accounts for documentation gaps.

Several channels help you identify a competent firm:

The official directory of the Ordre des Experts-Comptables is the reference for verifying that a professional is duly registered. Registration is the minimum guarantee of lawful practice, mandatory professional indemnity insurance (art. 14, decree 2012-432), and adherence to the code of professional conduct.

Professional word of mouth is often the most reliable channel for small and mid-sized businesses. A recommendation from another director in the same sector is worth more than an online ranking.

Digital accounting firms (Pennylane, Dougs, Numbr, Indy, and others) offer fully remote support. They are registered with the Ordre or operate through a partner expert-comptable. They suit straightforward structures or nomadic businesses, but may lack depth on complex files (restructuring, tax audits, business transfers).

Geographic proximity remains useful if you need regular in-person meetings, but video calls have made this criterion less decisive for most day-to-day engagements.

The introductory meeting typically follows a three-part structure:

1. Mutual introduction (5-10 min). The firm presents its organisation, tools, and sector positioning. You describe your business, your legal structure, and your current situation.

2. Situation review (20-30 min). The accountant explores the relevant dimensions: current obligations, tax calendar, social compliance, identified risks, specific needs. This is the time to ask your questions, including on the points that concern you most.

3. Scoping the potential engagement (10-15 min). The firm outlines the possible scope, the tools used, and the operating model (meeting frequency, dedicated contact, communication tools). The fee proposal is usually sent within 24 to 48 hours.

Step 1: First contact and booking#

Use the channel offered by the firm (online form, Calendly, phone). Describe your situation in a few lines: legal structure, stage of development, primary need. A responsive firm replies within 24 business hours.

Step 2: Pre-meeting questionnaire#

Some firms send a short questionnaire before the meeting to cover basic information (legal structure, turnover, number of employees, expectations). Fill it in carefully: it shapes the relevance of the questions your accountant will ask.

Step 3: Scoping meeting#

Thirty to sixty minutes, by video or in person. Bring the documents listed above for your profile. Be direct about your constraints: budget, timing, history with a previous firm.

Step 4: Fee proposal and scope agreement#

The proposal details the services included, delivery frequency, tools used, and the monthly or annual fee. Compare scope before comparing price. Ask what is included for one-off questions or in the event of a tax audit.

Step 5: Engagement letter (lettre de mission)#

The lettre de mission (engagement letter) is mandatory before any engagement formally begins (art. 11, decree no. 2012-432 of 30 March 2012). It defines the exact scope, the obligations of each party, fees, and termination conditions. It is not signed at the first meeting: it is prepared after the fee proposal is accepted.

What the engagement letter must include: identification of both parties, precise description of the engagement, fees and payment conditions, duration and termination conditions, mutual obligations.

Step 6: Onboarding and file transfer#

Once the engagement letter is signed, the firm organises the file transfer. The first weeks typically follow this timeline:

• Day 0 to 7: collection of access credentials (accounting software, banking, impots.gouv.fr professional account, ongoing filings) and transmission of core documents.
• Day 7 to 30: review of historical data, set-up of bookkeeping and communication tools, identification of the first compliance deadlines to secure.
• Day 30 to 60: first progress review, scope adjustment if needed, set-up of management dashboard if included in the engagement.

No. The engagement letter is signed after the first meeting, once the fee proposal is accepted and the scope is clear. It should not be signed under pressure on the day of the meeting itself.

This reflection period is normal and healthy. It allows you to compare several firms if you wish, to verify that the scope matches your actual need, and to ask follow-up questions before committing.

The engagement letter binds both parties: it protects you as much as it protects the firm.

In our onboarding meetings with small businesses, the most frequent difficulties are not accounting or tax issues as such, but document preparation. The two most common obstacles: missing access to the professional account on impots.gouv.fr, and the absence of VAT returns for the past 12 months. These two points frequently condition how quickly a file can be taken over.

A second point to watch concerns businesses switching firms mid-year: coordination with the previous firm for the transfer of annual accounts, opening balances, and accounting export files (FEC) is often underestimated. Raise this point at the scoping meeting.

This article is for information purposes only. It does not replace personalised advice adapted to your situation, legal structure, and the rules in force at the time of your approach. Conditions, timelines, and required documents may vary between firms. For an analysis of your file, contact your accountant directly.