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Country guide · 2026

How to open a Bulgarian company from France 🇫🇷

For French founders the arithmetic is stark: a SAS pays 25% on profits, then the prélèvement forfaitaire unique takes 30% of what is distributed. Social charges on a gérant majoritaire push the real cost higher still. A Bulgarian EOOD compresses that to 10% and 5%.

French rate
25% corporate tax plus 30% flat tax on dividends
Bulgaria
10% corporate, 5% dividends
Setup
Remote, 3-7 business days

Why French founders move to a Bulgarian EOOD

  • Combined corporate and dividend cost of about 14.5% versus roughly 47.5% in France
  • No SSI social charges on distributions taken as dividends from a Bulgarian company
  • Registration in days with no greffe backlog or capital deposit of substance
  • English-language filings and accounting throughout

The remote registration process, step by step

  1. 1

    Reserve the company name

    We check availability in the Bulgarian Commercial Register and reserve your EOOD or OOD name. Takes a few hours; the reservation holds for six months.

  2. 2

    Sign the incorporation pack

    Articles of association, founder declarations and specimen signature. You sign in front of a notary or a Bulgarian consulate near you, or you give us a power of attorney and sign once.

  3. 3

    Open the capital accumulation account

    The statutory minimum share capital is BGN 2 (about €1). The bank issues a deposit certificate the register requires.

  4. 4

    File with the Commercial Register

    Electronic filing at the Registry Agency. Standard processing is 2 to 4 business days, and you receive an EIK (company number) on approval.

  5. 5

    Register for tax and, if needed, VAT

    The EIK doubles as your tax number. VAT registration is mandatory above the BGN 166,000 turnover threshold and voluntary below it; intra-EU sellers usually register voluntarily on day one.

  6. 6

    Open the operating bank account

    A Bulgarian business account for local payments, plus an EMI such as Wise or Revolut Business for multi-currency invoicing. Most non-resident directors need one video call.

  7. 7

    Appoint an accountant and start filing

    Monthly VAT returns, payroll if you hire, and an annual corporate return filed by 30 June. The 10% flat corporate tax applies from your first invoice.

Tax residency

France treats you as resident if your foyer, main stay, professional activity or economic interests are French. Any one of those can be enough, so relocation needs to be genuine and documented.

Exit tax and leaving France

The exit tax on substantial holdings applies when you transfer your tax domicile out of France, with deferral available inside the EU. Bulgaria being an EU member usually makes the deferral straightforward.

Banking and payments

French clients pay a BG IBAN through SEPA without extra cost; most founders keep an EMI for card collections and a Bulgarian account for local obligations.

VAT on sales into France

B2B sales to France are reverse-charged. Consumer sales stay inside OSS at 20%, filed from Bulgaria in one return.

Mistakes French founders make

  • Leaving the family home and children's schooling in France while claiming non-residence
  • Closing a SASU before checking the exit tax position on accumulated reserves
  • Assuming URSSAF stops on the day the Bulgarian company is registered

Questions French founders ask

Can a French resident own a Bulgarian company?

Yes, ownership is unrestricted for EU citizens. The question is whether France still taxes the profits, which turns on residence and place of effective management.

What replaces the SSI contributions?

Bulgarian social contributions are capped, and a director on a modest declared salary pays a fraction of French rates while keeping EU health cover.

Full Bulgaria vs France tax tableRun your numbers in the tax calculatorFormation pricing

Start your Bulgarian company from France

We handle the register filing, bank introduction, VAT and accounting in English. 750+ EU founders incorporated, fully remote.

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