The Taxe Professionnelle, a local tax paid by businesses to local authorities, was axed on 1st January 2010 and replaced by Contribution Economique Territoriale (CET). The CET tax is divided between:
- Cotisation sur la Valeur Ajoutée des Entreprises (CVAE), i.e. a contribution based on your business’ added value - business with a turnover above 152 500€.
- Cotisation Financière des Entreprises (CFE), i.e. a taxed based on your office, workshop, equipement and the town you live in.
So although the Tax Professsionnelle was cancelled, the new CET tax happens to be more or less about the same amount!! Small businesses based in small towns or villages with no employees may pay from 200 to 500 euros. Larger businesses owning buildings, workshops or factories will may much more.
Does an auto-entrepreneur pay CET or CFE?
If you are an auto entrepreneur, you will still have to pay the CET tax, unless you have opted for the income tax paid at source. The income tax paid at source is sometimes referred to as impot liberatoire or regime micro fiscal. If you have chosen this option, you will not have to pay this tax for 3 years.