Société à responsabilité limitée

A société à responsabilité limitée (short SARL and variations thereof) is a private limited liability corporate entity that exists in France, Switzerland (where it is also designated by GmbH or Sagl), Luxembourg, Monaco, Macau, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Madagascar, and Lebanon, and whose purpose is commerce.

A SARL is a company whose liability is limited to the contributions of its members. Shares are not freely transferable; transfers require the agreement of half the shareholders if the beneficiary is a third party (since Ord. 2 mars 2004). If the beneficiary is a partner, a spouse, an ascendant or a descendant, the transfers are free. A SARL is broadly equivalent to a private company limited by shares in the United Kingdom, and a limited liability company in the United States.

Since the enactment of the loi du 11 juillet 1985, the SARL consists of two variants: the SARL pluripersonnelle (with at least two associatess, and the EURL (one associate). The société d’exercice, contrary to its name, is not a SARL but a (SEL).

There are now nearly 1,500,000 SARLs, representing two thirds of all commercial organisations in France. The SARL is particularly suited for small and medium enterprises. A SARL can be broken into various complementary forms depending on the activity and associates concerned, which can bring various benefits in terms of taxation (amongst others); a SARL with variable capital (la SARL à capital variable), a 'SARL press' (la SARL de presse) or a SARL family (la SARL de famille).

The SARL pluri-personnelle is a society with a minimum of two associates, but in accordance with French business law this no more than 100. In addition, the SARL model is chosen by those who wish to invest but who do not wish to be taxed.

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