Sign a commercial lease online, in 2 minutes

Legal framework

Commercial lease status

Signature level

AES eIDAS recommended

Legal archiving

Lease term + 10 years

What is a commercial lease?

A commercial lease is a contract for renting a premises used by a merchant, industrialist or tradesperson registered with the RCS or business register. It falls under commercial lease status (art. L145-1 et seq. of the Commercial Code, formerly decree no. 53-960 of 30 September 1953), also called "3-6-9". The lease is concluded for a minimum period of 9 years, with the tenant's right to terminate every 3 years (unless otherwise agreed), and grants the tenant a right to renewal or an eviction indemnity. The 2014 Pinel law strengthened tenant protections (inventory of fixtures, charge allocation, revision cap).

Why sign the commercial lease electronically?

Sign a commercial lease in 4 steps

From lease preparation to legal archiving, in less than 5 minutes.

1. 1. Prepare the lease

   Upload your existing PDF or start from a template compliant with commercial lease status: 9-year term (3-6-9), contractual intended use, initial rent + ILC/ILAT indexation, charge allocation (Pinel law schedule), termination conditions.

2. 2. Add signatories

   Lessor (SCI manager, co-owners, real estate company) + tenant (president, CEO, or co-managers). For each legal entity, verify the signatory's authority (recent Kbis extract). Each receives a secure link.

3. 3. Choose the eIDAS level

   Advanced signature (AES) strongly recommended for a commercial lease: identity verification by SMS OTP, unique certificate per signatory, qualified timestamp. Avoid SES for this type of commitment (9 years + potential eviction indemnity).

4. 4. Sign and archive

   Each signatory signs from their phone or computer. The finalized lease + proof PDF are automatically archived for the lease duration, accessible anytime from the dashboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a commercial lease be signed electronically?

Yes, without restriction for a lease under private seal. The Commercial Code does not require handwritten signature. Article 1366 of the Civil Code gives electronic signature the same value as paper signature as soon as signatory identification and document integrity are guaranteed. Only notarized authentic deeds require qualified electronic signature.

What is the minimum duration of a commercial lease?

9 years (commercial lease status, art. L145-4 C. com.). The tenant may terminate every 3 years ("3-6-9") unless otherwise agreed. For a shorter duration, a derogatory lease must be concluded (short-term lease, max 3 years cumulative) which excludes commercial lease status.

What signature level for a commercial lease: SES, AES or QES?

Advanced signature (AES) is the professional standard for a commercial lease. It benefits from the reliability presumption (article 1367 Civil Code) and captures the identity of each signatory (SMS OTP + unique certificate). SES is undersized for a 9-year commitment. QES is generally reserved for notarized deeds.

How to manage multi-signatory signature on lessor and tenant side?

The commercial lease often involves multiple signatories: co-owners on lessor side (all must sign), SARL co-managers or SAS president + CEO on tenant side. Certyneo's multi-signatory workflow manages sequential or parallel signature, each signatory receives their personal link with SMS OTP.

What are the mandatory provisions of a commercial lease?

Identity of parties (Kbis extract for legal entities), precise designation of leased premises, contractual intended use, term, initial rent + reference index (ILC for commerce, ILAT for tertiary activities), charge allocation (Pinel law schedule), termination conditions, entry inventory (mandatory since 2014).

Does the derogatory lease (short-term) follow the same rules?

Yes, a derogatory lease (max 3 years cumulative) can be signed electronically in the same way. Caution: at expiration, if the tenant remains in the premises without opposition from the lessor, the lease automatically transforms into a commercial lease subject to the 9-year status.

Does the commercial lease give a right to renewal or an eviction indemnity?

Yes — at lease expiration, the tenant has a right to renewal or, if the lessor refuses, an eviction indemnity (except for serious and legitimate reason, or demolition for reconstruction). This is the central issue of the commercial lease and the reason why signature traceability is critical.

Is the electronically signed lease enforceable in court?

Yes — French case law recognizes electronic signature compliant with eIDAS. Advanced signature (AES) benefits from the reliability presumption (article 1367 Civil Code): the electronically signed lease is enforceable in the same way as a paper lease, provided the eIDAS audit trail is produced in court.

Also read

• Electronic signature for real estate
• Glossary — advanced signature (AES)
• Glossary — eIDAS regulation
• Certyneo pricing