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Account right in case of refusal to open a business account

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

A bank has the right to refuse to open a bank account. In this case, you can apply for free basic banking services, provided by a designated bank.

If a bank refuses to open an account, it has a time limit of 15 days to send a certificate of refusal from one of the following dates:

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

This certificate or letter must indicate the reason for the refusal. It 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.

Account entitlement allows you to ensure continuity of your business (pay salaries, suppliers, etc. ).

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

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Individual trader

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

Application for 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 with photo:
    • French or foreign national identity card
    • French or foreigners passport
    • French or foreigners driver's licence
    • Warrant card issued by the French authorities
    • Identity card or movement card issued by the French military authorities
    • Receipt of application for residence permit
    • Temporary residence card, resident card, national card European Economic Area (EEA) countries (or receipt of a residence permit from 7 November 2015)
  • Copy of one of the following proof of domicile:
    • Title of principal residence
    • Last tax or non-tax notice
    • Less than 3 months rent
    • Invoice of water, gas, electricity, internet or telephone less than 3 months, on paper or printed dematerialised
    • Certificate of insurance for housing less than 3 months
    • Valid circulation booklet
    • Certificate of domicile establishing the link with a recognised organisation, valid
    • Certificate of the host's honour indicating that you reside at his home, identification document and proof of domicile of the host under 3 months
  • Letter of refusal or acknowledgement of receipt of the registered letter dated more than 15 days, or proof of the filing of the request for opening of account
  • Declaration of honour that you do not have a personal or professional deposit account and, if there is one, the decision to terminate the account agreement

Individual Artisan

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

Application for 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 with photo:
    • French or foreign national identity card
    • French or foreigners passport
    • French or foreigners driver's licence
    • Warrant card issued by the French authorities
    • Identity card or movement card issued by the French military authorities
    • Receipt of application for residence permit
    • Temporary residence card, resident card, national card European Economic Area (EEA) countries (or receipt of a residence permit from 7 November 2015)
  • Copy of one of the following proof of domicile:
    • Title of principal residence
    • Last tax or non-tax notice
    • Less than 3 months rent
    • Invoice of water, gas, electricity, internet or telephone less than 3 months, on paper or printed dematerialised
    • Certificate of insurance for housing less than 3 months
    • Valid circulation booklet
    • Certificate of domicile establishing the link with a recognised organisation, valid
    • Certificate of the host's honour indicating that you reside at his home, identification document and proof of domicile of the host under 3 months
  • Letter of refusal or acknowledgement of receipt of the registered letter dated more than 15 days, or proof of the filing of the request for opening of account
  • Declaration of honour that you do not have a personal or professional deposit account and, if there is one, the decision to terminate the account agreement

Liberal

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

Application for Deposit Account

Who shall I contact

Supporting documents to be attached to the application:

  • Proof of professional activity: certificate of independent professional activity (No Siren) or a copy of the business card
  • Duplex copy of one of the following with photo:
    • French or foreign national identity card
    • French or foreigners passport
    • French or foreigners driver's licence
    • Warrant card issued by the French authorities
    • Identity card or movement card issued by the French military authorities
    • Receipt of application for residence permit
    • Temporary residence card, resident card, national card European Economic Area (EEA) countries (or receipt of a residence permit from 7 November 2015)
  • Copy of one of the following proof of domicile:
    • Title of principal residence
    • Last tax or non-tax notice
    • Less than 3 months rent
    • Invoice of water, gas, electricity, internet or telephone less than 3 months, on paper or printed dematerialised
    • Certificate of insurance for housing less than 3 months
    • Valid circulation booklet
    • Certificate of domicile establishing the link with a recognised organisation, valid
    • Certificate of the host's honour indicating that you reside at his home, identification document and proof of domicile of the host under 3 months
  • Letter of refusal or acknowledgement of receipt of the registered letter dated more than 15 days, or proof of the filing of the request for opening of account
  • Declaration of honour that you do not have a personal or professional deposit account and, if there is one, the decision to terminate the account agreement

Business or other legal person under private law

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

Business Account Application Form

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 IDs with photo:
    • French or foreign national identity card
    • French or foreigners passport
    • French or foreigners driver's licence
    • Warrant card issued by the French authorities
    • Identity card or movement card issued by the French military authorities
    • Receipt of application for residence permit
    • Temporary residence card, resident card, national card European Economic Area (EEA) countries (or receipt of a residence permit from 7 November 2015)
  • Letter of refusal or acknowledgement of receipt of the registered letter dated more than 15 days, or proof of the filing of the request for opening of account
  • Declaration of honour that the business does not have a deposit account and, if there is one, the decision to terminate the account agreement

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

The Bank of France informs you of this designation. If you don't reply to this letter, then after 6 months, the bank designation will be out of date.

The bank consults the central check file of the Banque de France and the Personal Credit Incident File (FICP). This is to check if you or your associates have not experienced any banking difficulties in recent years.

Even if you banking, the bank designated by the Banque de France will open a deposit account in your name with the following free basic banking services:

  • Opening, maintaining and closing the account
  • 1 change of address per year 
  • Issuance of Bank Identity Statements (BINs) on Demand 
  • Domiciliation and collection of bank transfers 
  • Monthly sending of a statement of transactions made on the account 
  • Completion of cash transactions 
  • Checkout 
  • Payments by direct debit, interbank payment or bank transfer 
  • Means of remote viewing of account balance 
  • Cash deposits and withdrawals at the counter 
  • 2 bank check forms per month 
  • Payment Card

However, you cannot have an overdraft permission.

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

If the bank that has opened an account under the account right wishes to close it, it must notify you 45 days in advance, and then inform the Bank of France indicating the reason for the closure.

In this case, the Banque de France shall designate, where appropriate, a bank where another professional account may be opened under the same procedure of the right to the account.

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