Becoming self-employed in France: how much do you need to earn?
Registering is the easy part; the real question is how much you must bring in before anything is left to live on.
Figures checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How we calculate
What turnover do you need to live on it?
Monthly turnover to bill
€2,782
| Per year | €33,383 |
| Of which contributions and levies | €8,613 |
| Of which income tax (single) | €770 |
To become self-employed in France as an auto-entrepreneur, also called micro-entrepreneur, and keep €2,000 a month in 2026, a single person in a liberal profession (independent professional services such as consulting, design or coaching) needs to receive about €33,383 of turnover over the year. Commercial services need €30,513 and selling goods €27,402, before any business costs. The gap comes from contribution rates, 25.6 % for liberal professions, 21.2 % for commercial services and 12.3 % for sales, paid to the Urssaf, the body that collects social contributions, and from the flat tax allowances used for income tax. Two thresholds frame the plan: the scheme ceiling of €83,600 for services and €203,100 for sales, and the VAT exemption threshold of €37,500 for services. Aiming for €2,500 a month as a freelancer already takes €42,808, above that VAT threshold. These are estimates from published parameters, not personal advice.
Start from the income you need
Most guides start with the paperwork. It is quick and it is covered on registering a micro-enterprise. The more useful question comes first: how much must come in for the business to support you. You start from the monthly amount you want to keep, then work back to turnover, allowing for social contributions, the training levy, any chamber levy and French income tax.
The table below runs that calculation through the site’s engine for a single person with no other income, no business costs, no Acre relief and income tax on the progressive scale after the flat allowance (service-public, sheet F23267).
| Monthly target | Selling goods | Commercial services | Liberal profession | VAT, liberal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €1,500 | €20,551 | €22,884 | €24,259 | exempt |
| €2,000 | €27,402 | €30,513 | €33,383 | exempt |
| €2,500 | €34,252 | €38,560 | €42,808 | VAT due |
| €3,000 | €41,103 | €47,051 | €53,500 | VAT due |
| €4,000 | €54,804 | €64,572 | €75,559 | VAT due |
Three things stand out. Sales need the least turnover for the same take-home, because the contribution rate is the lowest and the tax allowance the highest, 71 %. But that turnover includes the cost of the goods you resell, so add your stock purchases. The gap between commercial services and liberal professions widens as the target rises. And beyond roughly €2,000 a month as a liberal professional, the target crosses the VAT thresholds.
Three profiles, three targets
A consultant aiming for €2,500 a month
She must receive €42,808 over the year. Of that, €10,959 goes in contributions, €86 in training levy and €1,764 in income tax. That level is above the higher services VAT threshold, €41,250 (service-public, sheet F21746), so she will charge VAT on top of her prices. She will need an EU VAT number and must track the VAT she collects and the VAT she can deduct. To turn the target into billable days, see the day-rate calculator.
A repair technician with running costs
He provides commercial services and wants €2,000 a month. Without costs, €30,513 would do. With €6,000 of yearly spending on a van, tools and phone, he needs €38,560, because the micro scheme ignores those costs: he pays €8,175 of contributions on the whole amount. That is the moment to look at micro versus real profit.
A couple where only one partner starts out
French income tax is assessed on the household. For €2,500 a month as a liberal professional, a couple with no other income needs only €40,431, against €42,808 for a single person. If the partner already earns a salary, the business income is taxed at a higher marginal rate than in this example: the full calculator accepts that other income. The versement libératoire, a flat-rate income tax of 2.2 % of turnover for liberal professions, lifts the single person’s target to €41,667: at this level it does not pay off.
The thresholds around your plan
The micro scheme accepts up to €83,600 of turnover for services and €203,100 for sales (service-public, sheet F32353). At the top, a single liberal professional keeps about €4,365 a month. If you aim higher, the micro scheme is probably not the right frame; the micro-enterprise page sets out the limits. The ceiling is not a cliff edge: one year above it is tolerated, and only the second consecutive year takes you out.
VAT exemption ends much earlier for service providers: €37,500, with leeway up to €41,250. For sales it is €85,000 and €93,500. A single €25,000 threshold once planned in the 2025 finance act was dropped. Details are on the VAT threshold page.
What the take-home figure leaves out
The amounts above are what remains after contributions and income tax. Three items still need a budget. The CFE, the local business tax, which is zero in year one and then depends on your commune. Your actual business costs, which micro never deducts. And months without work: a yearly target assumes steady receipts, although contributions are only due on what you actually receive, which softens the quiet months.
If you keep a salaried job alongside the business, the target works differently because tax is calculated on the whole household: see running a side business with a job.
Before you register
Check which category your activity falls into, since it sets your rate (Urssaf, key facts about the scheme). See whether you qualify for Acre, the start-up relief on contributions, which must now be requested within 60 days of starting. Then test your own target in the mini-calculator at the top of the page and in the full calculator. Results are estimates; the Urssaf and the tax office set the real amounts.