If you plan to sell goods on French markets you will require a “carte de commerçant ambulant”. This card used to be requested at the Préfecture. From now on, you will be able to request the ‘‘carte commercant ambulant” as and when you register your business with the Centre de Formalités des Entreprises (CFE) at the Chambre de Commerce (for trade) or Chambre de Métiers (crafts). The procedure is the same for existing businesses planning to set up a stall on French markets to boost their sales.
In order to sell on French markets you will need to get a “carte de commerçant ambulant” from the sous préfecture and register your business with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. So how do you go about getting this card?
In order to set up a stall of French markets you will require a “carte de commerçant ambulant”. This card used to be requested at the Préfecture, but a new law has just been implemented to simplify this process. From now on, you will have to send a recorded letter “lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception” to the centre de formalités des entreprises (CFE) handling your activity. For instance if you are selling goods, this would be the Chambre du Commerce and for cratfs this would be the Chambre des Métiers.
You’re planning on selling food, goods or crafts and would like to test your business potential on local French markets. But are you entitled to do so without registering your business? Unfortunately the answer is no.
In order to sell on French markets you will need to get a carte de commerçant ambulant from your Préfecture and register your business with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. If you are selling food, you might also want to contact the Direction Départementale des Services Vétérinaires (DDSV) in order to double check the regulation you will have to comply with (food storage, etc).