Entitlement to an account in the event of refusal to open a business account

Verified 01 January 2023 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister), Ministry of Finance

A bank has the right to refuse to open a bank account. In this case, you can request basic banking services free of charge, provided by a bank designated ex officio.

If a bank refuses to open an account, it has a period of 15 days to send a statement of refusal on one of the following dates:

  • Date of receipt of the application for a deposit account
  • Date of filing in person or at the deposit account application window

This certificate or letter must state the reason for the refusal. She must also specify that you can contact the Banque de France to designate an institution that will open an account for you.

In case of refusal, you can obtain the opening of a business account by requesting to benefit from the account entitlement procedure at a branch of the Banque de France.

Entitlement to the account allows you to ensure the continuity of your business (pay salaries, suppliers, etc. ).

You can go to a branch of the Banque de France or send your request by post with acknowledgement of receipt with all the documents to be provided.

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Individual merchant

You must complete and submit to the Banque de France the following document:

Application for entitlement to the deposit account

Who shall I contact

Supporting documents to be attached to the application:

  • Proof of professional activity: proof of registration original less than 3 months
  • Duplex copy of one of the following documents with photo:
    • French or foreign national identity card
    • French or foreigners passport
    • French or foreigners driving license
    • Combatant's card issued by French authorities
    • Identity card or circulation card issued by the French military authorities
    • Receipt of application for a residence permit
    • Temporary residence card, resident card, national card of a European Economic Area (EEA) countries (or receipt of application for a residence permit from 7 November 2015)
  • Copy of one of the following proof of domicile:
    • Title to the principal residence
    • Last Tax or Non-Tax Notice
    • Lease of less than 3 months
    • Invoice for water, gas, electricity, internet or telephone of less than 3 months, in paper or paper form
    • Home insurance certificate of less than 3 months
    • Valid circulation book
    • Certificate of address for service establishing the link with a recognized organization, valid
    • Attestation on the host's honor stating that you reside at his home, identification and proof of residence of the host less than 3 months
  • Refusal letter or acknowledgement of receipt of registered letter more than 15 days old, or proof of the deposit of the account opening request by hand
  • Honor declaration that you do not have a personal or professional holding account and, if there is one, the decision to terminate the account agreement

Individual craftsman

You must complete and submit to the Banque de France the following document:

Application for entitlement to the deposit account

Who shall I contact

Supporting documents to be attached to the application:

  • Proof of professional activity: proof of registration original less than 3 months
  • Duplex copy of one of the following documents with photo:
    • French or foreign national identity card
    • French or foreigners passport
    • French or foreigners driving license
    • Combatant's card issued by French authorities
    • Identity card or circulation card issued by the French military authorities
    • Receipt of application for a residence permit
    • Temporary residence card, resident card, national card of a European Economic Area (EEA) countries (or receipt of application for a residence permit from 7 November 2015)
  • Copy of one of the following proof of domicile:
    • Title to the principal residence
    • Last Tax or Non-Tax Notice
    • Lease of less than 3 months
    • Invoice for water, gas, electricity, internet or telephone of less than 3 months, in paper or paper form
    • Home insurance certificate of less than 3 months
    • Valid circulation book
    • Certificate of address for service establishing the link with a recognized organization, valid
    • Attestation on the host's honor stating that you reside at his home, identification and proof of residence of the host less than 3 months
  • Refusal letter or acknowledgement of receipt of registered letter more than 15 days old, or proof of the deposit of the account opening request by hand
  • Honor declaration that you do not have a personal or professional holding account and, if there is one, the decision to terminate the account agreement

Liberal

You must complete and submit to the Banque de France the following document:

Application for entitlement to the deposit account

Who shall I contact

Supporting documents to be attached to the application:

  • Proof of professional activity: attestation of independent liberal activity (No Siren) or copy of the business card
  • Duplex copy of one of the following documents with photo:
    • French or foreign national identity card
    • French or foreigners passport
    • French or foreigners driving license
    • Combatant's card issued by French authorities
    • Identity card or circulation card issued by the French military authorities
    • Receipt of application for a residence permit
    • Temporary residence card, resident card, national card of a European Economic Area (EEA) countries (or receipt of application for a residence permit from 7 November 2015)
  • Copy of one of the following proof of domicile:
    • Title to the principal residence
    • Last Tax or Non-Tax Notice
    • Lease of less than 3 months
    • Invoice for water, gas, electricity, internet or telephone of less than 3 months, in paper or paper form
    • Home insurance certificate of less than 3 months
    • Valid circulation book
    • Certificate of address for service establishing the link with a recognized organization, valid
    • Attestation on the host's honor stating that you reside at his home, identification and proof of residence of the host less than 3 months
  • Refusal letter or acknowledgement of receipt of registered letter more than 15 days old, or proof of the deposit of the account opening request by hand
  • Honor declaration that you do not have a personal or professional holding account and, if there is one, the decision to terminate the account agreement

Business or other legal person governed by private law

The following form must be completed and submitted to the Banque de France:

Application form for account entitlement for a business

Supporting documents to be attached to the application:

  • Proof of professional activity: proof of registration of less than 3 months 
  • Duplex copy of one of the following legal guardian credentials with photo:
    • French or foreign national identity card
    • French or foreigners passport
    • French or foreigners driving license
    • Combatant's card issued by French authorities
    • Identity card or circulation card issued by the French military authorities
    • Receipt of application for a residence permit
    • Temporary residence card, resident card, national card of a European Economic Area (EEA) countries (or receipt of application for a residence permit from 7 November 2015)
  • Refusal letter or acknowledgement of receipt of registered letter more than 15 days old, or proof of the deposit of the account opening request by hand
  • Honor declaration that the business does not have an open deposit account and, if one exists, the decision to terminate the account agreement

Within 1 working day on receipt of the supporting documents, the Banque de France shall automatically designate a bank. This bank is required to open a deposit account within 3 days of receipt of the file.

The Banque de France informs you of this designation. If you do not reply to this letter, then, after 6 months, the bank's designation will lapse.

The bank consults the central bank's check file and the Personal Credit Incident File (FICP). It is a question of checking whether you or your associates have not encountered any difficulties of a banking nature in recent years.

Even if you are banking ban, the bank designated by the Banque de France opens a deposit account in your name with the following basic banking services free of charge:

  • Opening, maintenance and closing of the account
  • 1 change of address per year 
  • On-demand issuance of bank identity statements (BIS) 
  • Domiciliation and receipt of bank transfers 
  • Monthly submission of a statement of account transactions 
  • Execution of cash transactions 
  • Check cashing 
  • Payments by direct debit, interbank payment document or bank transfer 
  • Means of remote consultation of the account balance 
  • Cash deposits and withdrawals at the counter 
  • 2 cashier's check forms per month 
  • Payment Card

However, you are not eligible for overdraft authorization.

If you wish to obtain services other than basic services and the bank accepts them, these services will be invoiced according to the terms of the account agreement.

If the bank that opened an account under the account entitlement wishes to close it, it must notify you 45 days in advance, then inform the Banque de France indicating the reason for the closure.

In this case, the Banque de France shall designate, where appropriate, a banking institution where another business account may be opened under the same account entitlement procedure.