Update – June 2026: The regulatory landscape in France has changed significantly since this article was published. Under Article 125 of the 2026 Finance Bill, France plans to reintroduce self-certification as an alternative method of compliance for point-of-sale software. You can find the latest information in our most recent article on this topic.
France is tightening its requirements for POS systems; the previously permissible self-certification (French: “auto-certification”) will expire on 31 August 2025.
From September 1, 2025, only POS systems that are certified by an official certification body or can provide proof of being in the certification process will be permitted.
This new regulation affects all companies that fall under the French fiscalization obligation, particularly in the retail and gastronomy sectors.
The current requirements for POS systems in France are based on the official tax guidelines for POS certification (BOFiP, April 2025) of the French Ministry of Finance. The basis is Article 88 of the Loi de finances rectificative pour 2016.
According to the official requirements, two certification paths are recognised:
A certified status also exists if one of the following documents is available by 31 August 2025:
The regulation applies to:
The certification obligation applies to all sectors – including retail, catering, services or other areas. The decisive factor is which payment methods are accepted.
efsta offers a solution that is specifically tailored to the requirements for POS certification in France. You can find more information about our solution for the French market on our France page.
The efsta middleware enables:
Interested or have questions? Contact us via our contact form
Self-certification is expiring, and companies must act now to avoid compliance risks. Only with a formal certification process or a completed certification will you remain compliant from September 2025.
Since the publication of this article, the legal situation in France has evolved significantly.
With Article 125 of the 2026 Finance Bill, the French legislature is paving the way for the reintroduction of self-certification as an alternative means of demonstrating compliance for point-of-sale software, in addition to certification by an accredited body such as LNE or Infocert.
If the regulation is implemented as planned, POS software providers could once again choose between formal external certification and self-certification, provided that all legal requirements are fully met. This would offer greater flexibility and potentially reduce costs and time to market. However, the self-certification option does not apply to companies that develop POS systems exclusively for their own internal use; these companies will still require external certification.
The legislative process is not yet complete. efsta is closely monitoring further developments and will inform its partners as soon as specific implementation deadlines are set.
→ You can find all the details in our latest article: France Reintroduces Self-Certification for Point-of-Sale Software
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