Our offices will be closed on Thursday 15 and Friday 16 August 2024. We look forward to welcoming you back on Monday 19 August.
Vandelanotte France
19 July 2024

Société Civile Immobilière in France: Implications for non-residents

by Mégane Mullebrouck

Are you considering buying property in France through a Société Civile Immobilière (SCI), or do you already own an SCI in France? We can tell you more about this particular company structure and its tax implications.

What is an SCI?

An SCI is a popular company structure in France for managing real estate. The shareholders can be either individuals or legal entities. This structure is often chosen to overcome the disadvantages of joint ownership and to anticipate the transfer of property.

If the SCI is subject to income tax, the company is fiscally transparent. This means that the partners are personally taxed on the profits according to their share in the SCI. However, when the SCI carries out commercial activities, it will be subject to corporate tax.

Implications for non-residents of France

For non-residents of France, it is important to know that Belgium does not currently recognize the fiscal transparency of an SCI. This can lead to a dividend distribution related to the sale of real estate being taxed twice: once in France for the capital gain on the property and once in Belgium as income from movable property.

Although SCIs are popular among the French and are often recommended by French notaries, it is crucial for shareholders who are not French residents to consider the tax implications in their own country.

Do you have any further questions on this topic? We are always available to assist you!

Contact form

Do you want to know more or need specialist advice? Don't hesitate to contact one of our specialists.

This form can only be sent with the use of technical cookies. You can accept these cookies here.
These cookies are used to distinguish people from bots. Certain data, such as your IP address or language preference, can be sent to Google. More information in our cookie policy.