You would like closer follow-up, a more available contact, or support better suited to your business, in English?
Changing accountant in France is possible at any time, and simpler than you may think.
You send your termination letter to your previous firm, and we organise the handover of your file with them.
Is your accountant giving you everything you expect?
A few questions to take stock of your support:
- do you have a named contact, who knows your file from one year to the next?
- do you get quick answers to your questions?
- are you alerted ahead of your deadlines, rather than at the last minute?
- are your fees clear, with a written scope?
- are you advised when you make decisions: pay, dividends, investments?
- has your support kept pace with your business: first employees, new activity, international?
One of the answers makes you hesitate? It may be the right time to compare.
Our commitments are set out in our collaboration charter: a single point of contact, your chartered accountant; an answer usually within two working days; a calendar of your deadlines, shared from the start; a written scope and fees, known before you commit.
Choosing your new accountant well
Changing is a chance to choose support that matches your business today, and tomorrow.
What to check before choosing:
- registration with the French Order of chartered accountants (Ordre des experts-comptables), which you can check in the Order’s official directory;
- a written, comparable scope: services included, filing frequency, who does what;
- a named contact and written commitments on response times;
- a handover organised by the new firm with your previous firm, with nothing more needed from you than your termination letter.
Needs your business may already have:
- your annual accounts and tax returns: year-end accounts, corporate tax return, VAT, corporate income tax, business property tax (CFE), on time;
- e-invoicing: receiving e-invoices has been mandatory for all businesses in France since 1 September 2026, and issuing them will be for SMEs and micro-businesses from 1 September 2027 (what changes);
- your pay and dividends, to be decided each year;
- a first employee, or a growing team: payroll and social filings;
- international business: customers, suppliers or shareholders outside France;
- dashboards to steer your business, on request.
Several proposals in hand? Compare them with our grid.
Changing accountant in 3 steps
Three steps on your side. We take care of the rest.
- Your meeting and your proposal Your meeting booked in 2 minutes, your fee estimate in 5 more. At the meeting, free and without obligation, you usually receive your written proposal, if you sent us your documents beforehand. Happy with it? You sign the engagement letter online. Compare proposals with our checklist
- Your termination letter, at the right time The notice period is set in your current engagement letter; the simplest option is to change at year-end. Your letter goes by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt. Work out the date of your change, then get an example letter
- We organise the handover We contact your current firm, in line with French professional rules, collect the file, identify pending deadlines and present a handover calendar to you, in English.
Until the end of its engagement, your current firm completes the agreed work; on your side, you keep sending your documents and settle the fees due. This is the best guarantee of a smooth transition.
Our fees, set out clearly
For a first indication for your situation, in 2 minutes: estimate my budget.
What our fees cover, and the set-up fees to expect: see our fees.
Frequently asked questions
My accountant takes a long time to reply: what should I do?
Start by talking it through with them: a discussion of your expectations and timescales is sometimes enough. If nothing changes, responsiveness is a legitimate criterion for choosing your next firm: ask for its commitments in writing. At Hexaconto, our collaboration charter provides a single point of contact and an answer usually within two working days.
Can I change accountant during the financial year?
Yes, if your engagement letter allows it or by agreement with your current firm. Your current firm keeps the books until the end of its engagement, then the new firm takes over and prepares the year-end accounts, usually with a supplement for that work, stated in its proposal.
Do I need my current accountant’s agreement?
No. You are free to choose your accountant, subject to the notice period set in your engagement letter.
What documents will my new accountant need?
Mainly the latest annual accounts and tax returns, the general ledger and accounting entries file (FEC), payroll records and the corporate documents. Your new accountant usually requests them directly. You never need to share your passwords for the tax or social security portals: the new firm obtains its own access through the official procedures (delegation in your business tax account, mandate for the Urssaf), which it explains and helps you set up.
Will I still have to pay my previous firm?
Fees for work already carried out remain due under your engagement letter. Settling them makes the handover smoother.
Does the new firm charge set-up fees?
It may charge one-off set-up fees, stated in advance in its proposal. They cover the start-up work: organising the handover, reviewing the history, setting up your file and tools, and understanding your business. The amount depends mainly on the condition of the file taken over, and you know it before you commit.
How long does the handover take?
Usually a few weeks, depending on the notice period, the size of the file and the responsiveness of each party.
How do I choose a new accountant in France?
First check their registration with the French Order of chartered accountants. Then compare proposals on an equivalent scope: same services, same filing frequency, same split of tasks. Finally, look at what you have been missing so far (a named contact, quick answers, advice for decisions) and at the needs ahead: e-invoicing, pay and dividends, a first employee, international business. Your meeting is booked in 2 minutes and your fee estimate is shown in 5 more. Compare proposals with our grid