Mandatory quote details in France: the full checklist for SMEs

A quote is not always required, but once the customer signs it, it binds both sides. Here is when a quote is compulsory in France, every detail it should show, and the mistakes that lead to disputes.

In France a quote (“devis”) is a written offer: it describes the work or the goods, the price and the conditions. As soon as the customer signs it, it becomes a contract and the price can no longer change unless the quote itself allows it. A complete quote protects both sides and makes the invoice that follows easy to write.

When a quote is compulsory

• For some trades a written quote is required by law, for example repair, maintenance and troubleshooting work in buildings and household equipment above a certain amount, home services above a certain monthly amount, and removals.
• In other cases it is not compulsory, but strongly recommended for any job of some size: it is your proof of what was agreed.
• When the quote itself takes time to prepare (a visit, measurements, a study), you may charge for it, provided you tell the customer beforehand and say so on the quote.

Your company

• Company name, legal form and, for a company, its share capital.
• Address of the registered office and contact details.
• SIREN number and the registration (RCS for traders, RM for craftsmen).
• Intra-Community VAT number, if you have one.
• For trades where professional insurance is compulsory (such as the ten-year building guarantee): the insurer’s name and contact details and the geographical coverage.

The customer and the quote itself

• Customer name and address, and the address of the site or place of work when it is different.
• Date of the quote and a quote number, so you can find it and link it to the invoice.
• How long the offer is valid, for example 30 days.
• Expected start date and duration of the work or service.

The work and the prices

• A detailed description of each item: products, services, quantities and unit prices excluding VAT.
• Labour (hourly rate or fixed price) and travel costs, if you charge them.
• Total excluding VAT, the VAT rate and amount, and the total including VAT.
• If you do not charge VAT under the small-business exemption: the mention “TVA non applicable, art. 293 B du CGI”.
• For a business customer in another EU country, the VAT treatment changes: see our guide on the EU reverse charge.

Conditions and acceptance

• Payment terms: due date, any deposit, accepted payment methods.
• Whether the quote is free or charged for.
• The customer’s acceptance: date and signature, often with the handwritten words “Bon pour accord” and, for some work, “Devis reçu avant l’exécution des travaux”.

Common mistakes

• No validity date: the customer can come back months later and ask for the old price.
• A vague description (“renovation work”): the source of most disputes about what was included.
• Wrong VAT for a foreign customer, copied onto the invoice afterwards.
• Retyping the quote into the invoicing tool: prices, quantities and discounts get changed by mistake.

Outside France

Belgium and Luxembourg have their own rules and no single legal list of mentions for every quote, but the same information is good practice everywhere: who you are, what you will deliver, for how much, until when and under which conditions.

And Tavalle?

In Tavalle a quote takes your company details and the customer’s data automatically: name, address, VAT number and the right VAT rate for their country and type. You send a numbered quote PDF in the customer’s language in one click, follow it in the pipeline (sent, accepted or lost), and an accepted quote becomes an order and then an invoice without retyping. See customers and sales and invoicing and VAT.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules for your trade may require more mentions: check service-public.fr and with your accountant or professional body.