Mandatory records of the micro-entrepreneur

Verified 02 October 2023 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

You're creating a micro-company? You must purchase multiple mandatory records concerning your accounting, your employees or personal data.

As a micro-entrepreneur, you need to set up certain books or records. These mandatory records differ depending on your business.

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Activity of sale of goods, objects, supplies, foodstuffs to take away or consume on the spot

Purchase Register

You need to identify the details of your business expenses chronologically in the register of purchases, indicating the following information :

  • Settlement Date
  • Payment method (distinguish check payments from other payment methods)
  • Reference of supporting documents (e.g. invoice)
  • Amount of your purchase (disbursement)

The information entered in the purchase register must be kept for a period of 10 years from the end of the accounting year to which they relate. The same time limit shall apply to supporting documents.

Failure to keep the purchase register shall not be penalized.

However, in case of forgery or use of forgery, you are subject to a criminal penalty of up to 3 years imprisonment and €45,000 of fine.

FYI  

it is possible to keep this record of computerized manner if it is identified and dated at the time of its establishment by means offering any guarantee of proof.

Revenue Book

You must to record the amount and origin of revenue that you perceive.

You must distinguish cash payments from other payments (check, credit card...) and indicate the references of the supporting documents.

The information entered in the revenue book must be kept for a period of 10 years from the end of the accounting year to which they relate. The same time limit shall apply to supporting documents.

FYI  

it is possible to keep this record of computerized manner if it is identified and dated at the time of its establishment by means offering any guarantee of proof.

Not keeping the recipe book shall not be penalized.

However, in case of forgery or use of forgery, you are subject to a criminal penalty of up to 3 years imprisonment and €45,000 of fine.

Housing supply activity

Purchase Register

You need to identify the details of your business expenses chronologically in the register of purchases, indicating the following information :

  • Settlement Date
  • Payment method (distinguish check payments from other payment methods)
  • Reference of supporting documents (e.g. invoice)
  • Amount of your purchase (disbursement)

The information entered in the purchase register must be kept for a period of 10 years from the end of the accounting year to which they relate. The same time limit shall apply to supporting documents.

Failure to keep the purchase register shall not be penalized.

However, in case of forgery or use of forgery, you are subject to a criminal penalty of up to 3 years imprisonment and €45,000 of fine.

FYI  

it is possible to keep this record of computerized manner if it is identified and dated at the time of its establishment by means offering any guarantee of proof.

Revenue Book

You must to record the amount and origin of revenue that you perceive.

You must distinguish cash payments from other payments (check, credit card...) and indicate the references of the supporting documents.

The information entered in the revenue book must be kept for a period of 10 years from the end of the accounting year to which they relate. The same time limit shall apply to supporting documents.

FYI  

it is possible to keep this record of computerized manner if it is identified and dated at the time of its establishment by means offering any guarantee of proof.

Not keeping the recipe book shall not be penalized.

However, in case of forgery or use of forgery, you are subject to a criminal penalty of up to 3 years imprisonment and €45,000 of fine.

Liberal activity

Revenue Book

You must save chronologically the amount and source of revenue you collect. You must distinguish cash payments from other payments (check, credit card, etc.) and provide voucher references.

You must also specify the identity of your clients, the amount, the date and the form of payment of the fees.

The information entered in the revenue book must be kept for a period of 10 years from the end of the accounting year to which they relate.

The same time limit shall apply to supporting documents.

Not keeping the recipe book shall not be penalized.

However, in case of forgery or use of forgery, you are subject to a criminal penalty of up to 3 years imprisonment and €45,000 of fine.

Other activity

Revenue Book

You must save chronologically the amount and source of revenue you collect. You must distinguish cash payments from other payments (check, credit card, etc.) and provide voucher references.

You must also specify the identity of your clients, the amount, the date and the form of payment of the fees.

The information entered in the revenue book must be kept for a period of 10 years from the end of the accounting year to which they relate.

The same time limit shall apply to supporting documents.

Not keeping the recipe book shall not be penalized.

However, in case of forgery or use of forgery, you are subject to a criminal penalty of up to 3 years imprisonment and €45,000 of fine.

If you have employees, you need to set up some mandatory registers from the first hiring.

Single register of staff

If you have employees, you have theobligation to keep a single staff register. Each employee must be registered at the time of hiring in indelible ink.

You must enter the following additional information for each employee :

  • Name
  • First Names
  • Nationality
  • Date of birth
  • Sex
  • Employment
  • Qualification
  • Dates of entry and exit
  • Contract Type
  • If a hiring or firing authorization is required, the date of such authorization or the date of application for authorization
  • For foreigner employees, the type and serial number of the work permit title. Attached is a copy of the documents authorizing foreigner workers to take up paid employment
  • For workers made available by a grouping of employers, the words " made available by a grouping of employers with the name and address of the latter
  • For temporary employees, the words " temporary employee’ with the name and address of the temporary company of work
  • For young workers with an apprenticeship or professionalization contract, ‘apprentice’ or ‘professionalization contract’

For each trainee you must provide the following information

  • Surname and forenames
  • Start and end date of the training or traineeship period
  • Surname and forenames of the tutor and place where the trainee is present

You must also provide the first and last names of volunteer civic service personnel.

The information on an employee contained in the single staff register must be kept for a period of 5 years from the employee's departure.

Single Occupational Risk Assessment Document (DUERP)

If you employ employees, you must keep this register, y identify and analyze all hazards to the safety and health of employees. It lists all occupational risks (e.g. fall, infection, injury, etc.) to which employees are exposed.

He must be updated at the following times:

  • For companies with at least 11 employees, at least every year
  • In the case of major alterations which lead to a change in working conditions or health and safety
  • The occurrence of additional information concerning the assessment of a risk (e.g. the occurrence of a new risk due to new scientific or technical knowledge)

DUERP should be retained 40 years from its elaboration.

If you do not transcribe or update risk assessment, you are subject to a fine of up to €1,500. This fine may be increased to €3,000 in the event of a recurrence within one year.

Special weekly rest record

When you have employees who are subject to special rest arrangement, you must specify their name and the type of regime in this register. For each employee, the day and fractions of the day chosen for rest must be specified. We talk about special rest arrangements when, for example, an employee does not have the same day of rest as everyone else.

The employees concerned must be entered in the register within 6 days who follow their hiring. In the event of a change in an employee's days of rest, the change must take place on the register before the new period of rest is introduced.

Failure to keep this register may result in a fine of €1,500 per employee concerned.

Security Controls Register

This record must show that the security checks have been carried out in the company. It shall contain all the documents relating to health and safety checks and inspections.

Information must be retained for 5 years.

In case of poor performance from the security screening registry, you are subject to a fine of €750 per employee concerned.

Register of Electrical Facility Verifications

Whenever you receive public or crews work in your facility, you need to conduct electrical facility audits. You must ensure that they are maintained in compliance with the applicable health and safety rules.

The results of the verifications, the justifications for the work carried out and the modifications made must be recorded in a register.

The register may be kept in paper or electronic form as soon as it is identified, numbered and dated at the time of its creation by means offering any guarantee of proof. It may be incorporated into the safety register or kept separately.

When you are in possession of personal data and that you collect regularly, you must keep a record of processing activities.

It makes it possible to identify all the processing of personal data: payroll management, human resources management, commercial prospecting, publication of a photo of a person on a website, etc.

Processing of personal data is not necessarily computerized: paper files are also concerned and must also be protected.

The register of processing activities must be updated regularly in consultation with all persons in your company who may process personal data. It shall contain the following information:

  • Name and contact details of the data controller
  • If the company has a Data Protection Officer: Name and contact details
  • If the company has a joint controller: Name and contact details
  • If the company has a representative of the controller: Name and contact details
  • Purposes of processing
  • Description of categories of data subjects and categories of personal data
  • Categories of recipients to whom personal data have been or will be disclosed (including recipients outside the European Union and international organizations)
  • In the case of data transfer to a third country or international organization: the transfer, identification of the third country or international organization, document attesting to the existence of appropriate safeguards
  • General description of technical and organizational measures (where possible)

In the case of outsourcing, the processor or his representative must also keep a register of all categories of processing activities carried out on behalf of the controller.

FYI  

The Council makes available templates for registers on its topic page.

You must purchase mandatory records which are necessary for you. You can find these records either in specialized stores or on the internet in digital format.