How to decide if your French registered business should issue an invoice

By Valérie Aston on 11 March 2013 · Viewed 17225 times · Questions

A common question I get asked in the forum is, do I have to give my customers an invoice. To help you decide, here's a summary of the rules to be applied when deciding if you should issue an invoice.

You must provide an invoice for:

  • Any services or sale of goods between professionals. 
  • Sale of goods from a professional to an individual if the customer requests it.
  • Sale of goods from a professional to an individual for distance selling (catalogue and ecommerce).
  • The provision of a service between a professional and an individual when the amount exceeds 25 euro TTC, or if requested by the client, regardless of the amount.

Also note that:

  • The invoice must be issued upon completion of the sale or provision of services.
  • It must be written in French and established in two copies, the original being given to the customer.
  • Invoices must be kept for 10 years from the date of sale or service delivery.

I hope you find this useful and if you have any questions or need clarrification please ask in the forum.


Valerie Lemiere: Start Business in France

About the author: Valérie Aston

I've been helping people who want to start or already have a small business set up in France since 2009. After graduating from a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, I worked as a senior marketing consultant in the UK and France for various International companies. I worked as a conseillère en création d'entreprises (senior business advisor) for BGE here in France and run this independent business on a daily basis.