Verified on January 1, 2025 – Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
The SASU offers great flexibility, making it a popular choice among entrepreneurs wishing to operate alone. It is subject to the corporate tax regime (IS) and benefits from various
tax reductions.
What is the tax regime for the SASU?
Upon its creation, an SASU is automatically subject to the corporate tax regime (IS). In other words, its profits will be taxed according to the IS rules.
Reporting Results
Any company liable for IS must file an annual tax return. The documents to be submitted and the method of reporting will depend on the tax regime (normal or simplified) under which the company is placed.
Simplified Real or Normal Real: What Tax Regime?
- Simplified Real Regime
- Normal Real Regime
The company under the simplified real regime must submit the following documents:
- Tax return number 2065
- Financial statements (tables no. 2033 A to 2033 G)
- Minutes and extracts from board or shareholder meetings
- List of subsidiaries and investments, specifying for each the ownership percentage and its SIRET number
The company must file its return electronically, following one of the available procedures:
- Either via EDI-TDFC mode, which involves submitting declarations from accounting files through an EDI partner (e.g., an accountant or specialized provider).
- Or via EFI mode, using its Professional space accessible from impots.gouv.fr.
The tax return must, in principle, be filed within 3 months of the end of the fiscal year. However, if the fiscal year ends on December 31 or if no year-end occurs during the year, the declaration must be filed by the second working day after May 1.
Know This:
The tax administration grants an additional 15 calendar days to complete this online procedure.
Table SASU- Deadline for filing tax return and supporting documents
| Legal Deadline |
Final Date |
| Fiscal year ends on a date other than December 31 |
Within 3 months of fiscal year-end |
| Fiscal year ends on 12/31/2024 |
No later than the second working day after May 1, 2025 (with additional 15 days) |
| No fiscal year-end in 2024 |
No later than the second working day after May 1, 2025 (with additional 15 days) |
Furthermore, new companies that do not prepare a balance sheet in their first fiscal year do not need to file a provisional return. They are taxed on the results of the period from the start of their activity until the end of the first
fiscal year, and no later than December 31 of the year following their creation.
Warning: Sasu
Failure to comply with the obligation to submit the tax return electronically results in a penalty of 0.2% of the declared tax, following submission by another method (e.g., paper). This penalty cannot be less than 60 €.
Learn more about the option for income tax (IR),SASU
Payment of Corporate Tax (IS)
The corporate tax (IS) amount is calculated based on the results of the last closed fiscal year. The tax rate is 25% on the entire taxable profit.
Note:
A reduced rate of 15% applies to small and medium enterprises with a turnover excluding VAT not exceeding €10,000,000 and whose capital is fully paid up and held at least 75% by individuals. This rate applies to the portion of profits up to €42,500. Beyond that, the tax rate is 25%.
The payment of corporate tax (IS) is made in 5 installments: 4 quarterly payments and 1 balance.
The payment of each installment is made using the payment slip n° 2571, submitted electronically via the EDI partner or online in the Professional space on impots.gouv.fr.
Each installment is due on fixed dates: March 15, June 15, September 15, and December 15. The due dates depend on the company’s fiscal year-end date.
Know This:
The company does not have to make installment payments (i.e., pay the IS in a single payment) in the following cases:
- If the IS amount is below €3,000.
- If the company is newly established (first fiscal year of activity).
- If the company is newly subject to IS (first tax period).
Table SASU – IS Payment Dates for Year N
| Fiscal Year-End Date |
1st Installment |
2nd Installment |
3rd Installment |
4th Installment |
| From February 20 to May 19 of Year N |
June 15 of Year N-1 |
September 15 of Year N-1 |
December 15 of Year N-1 |
March 15 of Year N |
| From May 20 to August 19 of Year N |
September 15 of Year N-1 |
December 15 of Year N-1 |
March 15 of Year N |
June 15 of Year N |
| From August 20 to November 19 of Year N |
December 15 of Year N-1 |
March 15 of Year N |
June 15 of Year N |
September 15 of Year N |
| From November 20 of Year N to February 19 of Year N+1 |
March 15 of Year N |
June 15 of Year N |
September 15 of Year N |
December 15 of Year N |
The balance is equal to the tax due on the annual profits, reduced by the installments already paid. Where applicable, available tax credits are subtracted.
The company must pay the balance electronically, using the payment slip n° 2572, by the 15th of the 4th month after the fiscal year-end. However, if no fiscal year is closed within the year or if the fiscal year ends on December 31, the company must pay the balance by May 15 of the following year.
Note:
When the IS payment results in an overpayment, the excess is refunded automatically to the company within 30 days from the submission of the balance return. The excess can also be carried forward to the first installment of the following year.
Table – Balance Payment Dates for IS
| Fiscal Year-End Date |
Balance Payment Date |
| December 31 of Year N-1 |
May 15 of Year N |
| During Year N |
15th of the 4th month following fiscal year-end |
What is the tax regime for the president of SASU?
The president of SASU may receive various types of income: remuneration for their executive mandate, dividends if they are a shareholder, and even interest on sums paid into a shareholder current account.
Note:
Each of these income types is subject to income tax (IR). A 10% deduction or a deduction for actual expenses (housing, meals, travel, etc.) is applied before calculating the tax.
Remuneration for Executive Mandate
The president’s role may be either unpaid or remunerated. The remuneration is freely determined, either by the company’s statutes, by the decision of the sole shareholder, or by any company body. The remuneration can be fixed or variable.
The manager must declare this remuneration as “salaries and wages” in their personal income tax return.
Note:
This remuneration is considered a deductible expense for the company’s tax results.
Dividends
When the president is a shareholder of the company, they may receive dividends. These dividends are subject to one of the following tax regimes, by choice:
- Flat-rate withholding tax (PFU): default regime, dividends are subject to a withholding of 12.8%, plus 17.2% in social contributions.
- Progressive income tax scale: optional regime, dividends are integrated into the income tax base after applying a 40% allowance. The president’s total income is then taxed according to their tax bracket (from 0% to 45%).
Table – Progressive Tax Rates for 2023 Income: SASU
| Income Brackets |
Tax Rate |
| Up to €11,294 |
0% |
| €11,295 to €28,797 |
11% |
| €28,798 to €82,341 |
30% |
| €82,342 to €177,106 |
41% |
| Over €177,106 |
45% |
Warning:
The finance bill for 2025 has not been enacted before January 1, 2025. The law n°2024-1188 of December 20, 2024 allows the government to collect taxes without modifying the tax scales until the adoption of a finance law for 2025. This scale will be updated after the publication of the 2025 finance law in the Official Journal.
In both cases, the president must declare the dividends in their personal income tax return as “investment income.”
Current Account Interest
A shareholder’s current account is considered a loan to the company. It may earn interest, similar to a bank loan, paid to the shareholder. The interest rate is set by the statutes or by a current account agreement between the company and the shareholder.
Current account interest is subject to the flat-rate withholding tax (PFU) or the progressive income tax scale, in the same manner as dividends. It is declared as “investment income.”
Taxation of the Executive in a Company Subject to Income Tax (IR)
What taxes is the SASU subject to?
A simplified single-member joint-stock company (SASU) may be liable for several taxes. The main taxes include:
- Value-added tax (TVA)
- Business property tax (CFE)
- Value-added tax contribution of companies (CVAE)
Other Applicable Taxes
TVA
In principle, the company collects VAT on each sale and service it provides, then must remit the collected VAT to tax authorities.
The rules for VAT declaration and payment vary depending on the tax regime under which the company is subject:
- VAT Exemption Regime: Company turnover excluding VAT is below €37,500 for services or €85,000 for commerce and accommodation activities.
- Simplified Real Regime: Company turnover exceeds thresholds established for the VAT exemption regime but does not exceed the limits of the normal real regime.
- Normal Real Regime: Applies to larger companies with turnover exceeding €789,000 for services or €2,300,000 for goods.
CFE
The business property tax (CFE) is generally due by any company that regularly carries out an activity.
