How to Create an SCI

This guide is written for expats and foreign founders by a French CPA, an English-speaking accountant in Paris, with practical focus on accounting in France, French corporate tax, business setup in France and French payroll.

How to Create an SCI: Complete and Updated Guide 2026 by a Chartered Accountant Paris 8#

The creation of an SCI (Société Civile Immobilière) is a powerful asset strategy to manage, protect and transmit your real estate assets in an optimized manner. This exhaustive guide, written by Samuel Hayot, experienced accountant from the Hayot Expertise firm in Paris 8th, takes you step by step through the steps of creating an SCI, the tax advantages, administrative formalities and actual costs, with information verified and updated to 2026.

A SCI is a civil company dedicated to the ownership and management of real estate, without commercial activity. Unlike an SARL or SAS, it is fiscally transparent by default, which means that the partners are taxed directly on the results in proportion to their shares.

The Key Advantages of an SCI#

• Facilitated management: Several partners can co-manage a property without blocking, by voting according to the statutes (unanimity or majority).
• Optimized asset transfer: Ideal for families, it allows the transfer of shares rather than the entire property, reducing costs and conflicts.
• Tax flexibility: Choice between income tax (IR) and corporate tax (IS) to adapt to your situation.
• Protection of assets: The assets are distinct from the personal assets of the partners, limiting the risks in the event of personal debts (except for faulty management).

In 2026, with the rise in real estate prices and tax reforms on capital gains, the SCI with IR remains favored for land deficits, while the IS is attractive for the depreciation of buildings.

SCI vs Other Structures: A Clear Comparison#

Choosing an SCI optimizes your real estate management by avoiding the pitfalls of joint ownership, while offering powerful tax levers.

Creating an SCI generally takes 2 to 4 weeks. Here is the step by step guide, verified with official sources and updated 2026.

Step 1: Define the Project and Associates#

• Identify the partners (minimum 2 natural or legal persons).
• Determine the object: acquisition, bare rental, management of family property.
• Evaluate the capital: minimum €1, but allow €5,000 to €10,000 for banking credibility.

Expert advice: Draw up an associates' pact to anticipate outings or donations.

Step 2: Write the SCI Statutes#

The statuses are the heart of your SCI. They must include:

• Company name (e.g.: SCI Hayot Immobilier).
• Head office (your address or domicile).
• Precise corporate purpose: "acquisition, management and rental of real estate".
• Contributions: cash, nature (real estate) or industry.
• Shares: distribution, approval for transfer.
• Operating rules: management, meetings, annual accounts.

Typical model: Use a notary or accountant to personalize. Cost: €1,500 to €3,000.

Practical tip: Integrate clauses to optimize transmission (progressive donation of shares).

Step 3: Make the Contributions and Open a Bank Account#

• Cash contribution: Deposit at least 20% of the capital in a provisional account.
• Contribution in kind (building): Evaluation by an expert or notary, with deed of transfer.
• Open a professional bank account in the name of the SCI.

Step 4: Publish a Legal Announcement#

Mandatory for all creation.

• Content: form (SCI), name, capital, headquarters, purpose, management.
• Cost: €150 to €250 in an authorized newspaper (e.g.: Les Echos).
• Valid for 1 month.

Step 5: Submit the File to the Registry of the Commercial Court#

Via the INPI one-stop shop (guichet-entreprises.fr):

• Statutes in 5 copies.
• Form M0 (declaration of creation).
• Proof of registered office, manager ID, certificate of capital deposit.
• Certificate of non-conviction from the manager.

Deadline: Registration within 48 hours to 1 week. Kbis obtained by email.

Step 6: Post-Creation Formalities#

• Take out professional liability insurance.
• Open accounting (simplified balance sheet if < 2 employees).
• Declare to the tax authorities (form 2065 for IS option if chosen).

Total Costs of Creating an SCI in 2026:

SCI taxation is its major asset. By default IR, irrevocable option for IS.

IR regime: Transparency and Land Deficits#

• Profits imposed on partners (progressive scale + PS 18.6%).
• Powerful deductions: works (renovation, loan interest) creating a land deficit attributable to €10,700/year on overall income.
• Capital gains: Progressive reductions (up to 100% IR after 22 years, PS after 30 years).

Example: SCI with rent €20,000, works €25,000 → Deficit €5,000 reduces your personal taxes.

IS Regime: For Advanced Investors#

• Rate: 15% up to €100,000 (PLF 2026), 25% beyond.
• Building depreciation: Spread over 20-40 years, reduces taxable profit without cash outflow.
• Dividends: PFU 31.4% or IR scale if reinvested.
• Disadvantage: Professional capital gains without long-term reduction.

Optimization 2026: Family SCI for donations (duties 5% vs. 60% directly).

Transmission and Capital Gains: The Family Superpower#

• Donation shares: Reduced rights (deduction €100,000/child every 15 years).
• Succession: Shares partially exempt, avoiding forced sale.

• Accounting: Actual regime, annual balance sheet (model no. 2050).
• Assemblies: Annual for approval of accounts.
• Management: Associate or third party, paid or not.
• Dissolution: Voluntary or judicial, sharing of lots after liquidation bonus.

Errors to Avoid:

• Furnished rental at IR (force IS).
• Forgotten CFE declaration (property tax).
• Poor distribution of shares (donation reclassification risk).

Case 1: Family SCI for Transmission#

Parents + 2 children. Paris 8th apartment contribution (value €800,000). Progressive donation shares: Economy €200,000 inheritance tax.

Case 2: SCI to IS for Rental Investment#

Purchase of rental property, depreciation 2%/year → Zero taxable profit for 10 years, total reinvestment.

Case 3: SCI for Married Couples#

Divorce protection: Shares that cannot be easily seized.

• Accounting: 1,200 - 2,500 €/year.
• Tax declarations: €500.
• ROI: Tax savings > costs if > 2 goods.