Self-employed without a diploma | What the law says

Is it possible to become self-employed without a diploma?

You want to become self-employed without a diploma? The self-employed status is increasingly attracting entrepreneurs due to its simplicity in creation and management. However, starting your own business without a diploma requires complying with certain legal constraints. That’s why this article reveals everything you need to know on this topic: from conditions for becoming self-employed to obligations to respect, as well as business creation ideas without a diploma.

The conditions to become self-employed

Whether you hold a diploma or not, you must meet the following conditions to become self-employed:

• You must be of legal age or an emancipated minor.
• You have a registered address in France.
• You are of French nationality or a European union citizen.
• You must not be under guardianship or curatorship.
• You have never been convicted of a prohibition to manage a business.

For self-employed individuals without a diploma, you must only engage in non-regulated activities, in addition to the aforementioned conditions.

💡Good to know: a self-employed activity can be carried out as a main or secondary job, alongside a salaried position for instance.

Jobs that cannot be performed without a diploma in self-employment

As previously mentioned, a self-employed person without a diploma cannot engage in regulated professions, as they require holding a diploma or justifying professional experience. Some of these professions require authorization to practice, mandatory insurance subscriptions, or registration on a professional register. Among the regulated activities, we primarily find:

• Construction activities: renovation, plumbing, electricity, etc.
• Repair: mechanics, watchmaking, etc.
• Paramedical professions: psychologist, nursing assistant, optician, etc.
• Food trades: baker, butcher, etc.
• Personal services: hairdressing, massage, etc.
• Transport activities: for example, a VTC driver.

💡Good to know: in construction, three years of experience provides the opportunity to start as an independent without a diploma.

Jobs that can be performed without a diploma in self-employment

Aside from regulated activities, the majority of jobs can be exercised in micro-enterprise without possessing a diploma:

To help you find project ideas, check out our complete guide on how to become freelance.

How to verify the possibility of becoming self-employed without a diploma?

Before you start, take the time to thoroughly study your project in advance: do you want to change careers? Pursue a passion? Depending on your situation, a skills assessment may be necessary to verify your level of knowledge required for your new activity and the need to obtain a diploma or not.

Check out our guide to start freelancing without experience to delve deeper into the topic.

Then, at the time of starting, contact the Business Formalities Center (CFE) you depend on: the CCI for commercial activities, the CMA for artisans, the URSSAF for liberals, or the commercial court registry for sales agents. Therefore, you can verify your authorization to exercise your chosen activity.

Becoming self-employed without a diploma: the risks and penalties

Practicing a regulated activity without a diploma in self-employment amounts to not declaring your activity legally. It is thus considered concealed work.

💡Good to know: according to the Labor Code, the penalties incurred by individuals working without being declared include five years of imprisonment along with a fine of €75,000.

In addition to legal sanctions, working without a diploma entails numerous risks for the client: accidents, thefts, poor workmanship, etc. In the absence of evidence and declaration, the self-employed individual without a diploma does not benefit from professional civil liability insurance or a ten-year guarantee. No compensation is thus possible in the event of fire, water damage, or poor workmanship, for example. The client will therefore have to resort to legal proceedings, which can be very costly for the artisan.

Steps to follow to create your micro-enterprise without a diploma

Just like a self-employed person with a diploma, the self-employed person without a diploma must follow the 4 mandatory steps to create their micro-enterprise:

1. Declaration of activity on the single desk: provide your civil status, current social regime, tax options, and information about your micro-enterprise.
2. Submission of mandatory supporting documents: provide a copy of your identity document, proof of address, and a declaration of non-conviction.
3. Transmission of your file to the competent CFE: if your file is complete, your file will be transferred to your competent formalities center.
4. Receipt of your business documents: within 15 days, you will receive your SIRET number, your APE code, and your registration extract from the National Register of Enterprises. The latter will allow you to request your Kbis extract.

💡Good to know: your activity declaration must be made within 15 days following the start of your activity at the latest.

Obligations of the self-employed without a diploma

As a self-employed person without a diploma, your obligations remain the same as those of a self-employed person with a diploma, just like the creation procedures:

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The essence of the article summarized in 7 points

You now know all the conditions to become self-employed without a diploma. Here’s a quick recap:

1. You must meet the applicable conditions for everyone to open a micro-enterprise in France.
2. You must not engage in a regulated profession unless you justify three years of experience (possible in construction).
3. You have permission to engage in commercial activities, non-regulated liberal activities, or artisanal activities that do not require approval.
4. To verify the possibility of working as self-employed without a diploma, study your project in advance and contact your competent CFE.
5. Practicing a regulated activity without a diploma exposes you to significant penalties and does not cover your client in case of damage.
6. To launch your activity without a diploma, you must follow the procedure for creating a micro-enterprise by submitting your complete file to the single desk of the INPI.
7. As a self-employed person without a diploma, your obligations remain the same as those of a self-employed person with a diploma: declaration of your turnover, payment of your social contributions, and a bank account dedicated to your activity according to your turnover.

To learn more about your rights as a self-employed person, also consult our guide: self-employed and unemployment: what are your rights?