No law sets the list of documents for a business loan application: each bank has its own. Always ask your account manager for it. Here is what is requested in most cases, and what makes the difference between an application that gets read and one that gets approved.
1. The five core documents
In its guide for TPE (very small businesses), from the Observatoire du financement des entreprises, the Banque de France lists five documents to prepare for a credit application:
- the balance sheet;
- the income statement;
- the projected income statement;
- the cash flow plan;
- the calculation of the working capital requirement (BFR).
2. The documents usually requested
Depending on the bank and the project, the following are most often added:
- a recent Kbis (company registration extract) (often less than 3 months old) and the up-to-date articles of association;
- the identity documents of the directors and shareholders;
- the last 2 or 3 balance sheets with their liasses fiscales (tax return packages);
- a statement of bank borrowings: outstanding loans, authorized overdrafts;
- a 3-year financial forecast, preferably prepared or certified by your chartered accountant (expert-comptable);
- the project's financing plan;
- for an investment: the quotes or pro forma invoices.
3. The liasse fiscale: which forms?
- Régime réel normal (standard real-profit tax regime): forms 2050 to 2059 (impots.gouv.fr).
- Régime réel simplifié (simplified real-profit tax regime): forms 2033-A to 2033-G.
- They accompany the profit return: form 2065 for a company subject to corporate income tax, form 2031 for a business taxed on industrial and commercial profits (BIC).
4. Compliance certificates
- Attestation de régularité fiscale (tax compliance certificate): online, in your professional account, under “Consulter mon compte fiscal” (View my tax account) then “Attestation fiscale” (Tax certificate), for companies subject to corporate income tax and to VAT that are up to date with their returns and payments. Otherwise, form 3666-SD, to be sent to the service des impôts des entreprises (business tax office) via the secure messaging service (impots.gouv.fr).
- Attestation de vigilance (certificate of compliance with social security obligations) from the Urssaf (the body that collects social security contributions), often requested as well, to be downloaded from your Urssaf online account.
5. What makes an application easy to read
There is no mandatory format, but a banker reads dozens of applications. Our advice, drawn from experience in the field:
- A two-page summary note at the top: the company, the need, the amount, the use of funds, repayment, the guarantees offered.
- Written assumptions under the financial forecast: revenue, margin, hiring, payment terms. A forecast without assumptions cannot be discussed.
- A monthly cash flow plan covering at least 12 months, consistent with the financial forecast and with the latest balance sheet.
- Clearly named PDF files (“2025_bilan.pdf”, “previsionnel_2027-2029.pdf”) and one document per file.
- Weak points explained before the banker finds them: a loss, a late payment, a customer that carries a lot of weight.
6. Your Banque de France rating
The rating (cotation) assesses the company's ability to meet its financial commitments over a 1- to 3-year horizon; it serves as a common reference between the company and its lenders. The company's director can find out the rating and obtain an explanation of it: on the Banque de France's Espace dirigeant (executive portal, login via FranceConnect), by phone on 3414, or at a branch. Since 12 January 2025, the rating threshold has been €1.25 million in revenue: below it, the company may not be rated.
7. If a loan is refused or reduced
- An open-ended credit facility, other than an occasional one, can only be reduced or terminated by written notice and after a notice period of at least 60 days, except in the event of seriously reprehensible conduct by the customer or an irretrievably compromised situation; the bank must give its reasons if you ask for them (Article L313-12 of the French Monetary and Financial Code).
- Credit mediation (médiation du crédit, Banque de France) is free and confidential; the request is made online. The mediator rules on admissibility within 48 hours, then the bank has 5 business days to review its position (banque-france.fr).
- A guarantee from Bpifrance (the French public investment bank) can help the bank say yes: it is the bank that applies for it; it covers part of the bank's potential loss, and the borrower remains liable for repaying the full loan (Bpifrance Création).
Please note: this guide is for information only, up to date as of 14 October 2026, and is no substitute for advice tailored to your situation. The documents requested vary from one bank to another. For a specific case, consult your chartered accountant or your lawyer.