7. Social Security Contributions in France

1. Basic Rules
2. Employers and Employees
3. Self-Employed
4. Retired Persons
5. Early Retirees
6. Social Charges (CSG/CRDS)

7.3. Social Security Contributions for Self Employed Persons

If you are self-employed in France then the level of your contributions will depend on the legal and tax status of your business, eg limited company, micro-entreprise, auto-entrepreneur.

The rules are complex and can only really be summarised here.

Broadly speaking:

• If you have micro-entreprise, or auto-entrepreneur business tax status you will pay social security contributions as a percentage of your turnover, whose rates will vary by type of business - around 13% to 25%.
• If you operate on the basis of the régime réel then you pay social security contributions after deduction of your actual eligible costs, at a level of around 45% of net profits.

There are various exemptions that operate for the self-employed, notably in relation to those starting a business in a development area, or out of unemployment.

There are also concessions for low profits.

You need to refer to our detailed review of social security contributions for the self-employed in our pages on Social Security Contributions for Business Owners and Micro-Entrepreneur Tax Regimes.

Next: Retired Persons

Back: Employers and Employees

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