Sign a commercial lease online, in 2 minutes
Commercial lease between a lessor (SCI, co-ownership, real estate company) and a merchant tenant (SARL, SAS, sole trader), signed electronically with the same legal value as a paper lease. Compliant with commercial lease status (Commercial Code, art. L145-1 et seq.) and eIDAS regulation — advanced signature recommended, multi-signatories (president + managing director on tenant side, SCI manager on lessor side), legal 9-year term.
- 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 rental contract for premises used by a merchant, industrialist, or tradesperson registered with the RCS or craft register. It falls under commercial lease status (art. L145-1 et seq. of the Commercial Code, formerly decree no. 53-960 of September 30, 1953), also called '3-6-9'. The lease is concluded for a minimum term of 9 years, with the tenant's right to terminate every three years (unless otherwise provided), and gives the tenant a right to renewal or an eviction indemnity. The 2014 Pinel law strengthened tenant protections (condition reports, charge allocation, rent increase caps).
Why sign the commercial lease electronically?
Identical legal value
Article 1366 of the Civil Code grants electronic writing the same probative force as paper writing. No provision of the Commercial Code requires a handwritten signature for a commercial lease under private seal. Only authentic acts (notarized) require a specific signature (qualified electronic signature).
Multi-signatories (legal entities)
A commercial lease often involves multiple signatories on the lessor side (SCI managers, co-owners) AND on the tenant side (president + managing director, or SARL co-managers). Our flow handles sequential or parallel signing of all legal representatives, each with their individual SMS OTP.
Long-term archiving
The commercial lease is concluded for a minimum of 9 years, often renewed for 9 additional years. Certyneo archives the signed lease + its eIDAS audit trail for the entire lease duration (and beyond, for actions with 5-year prescription after lease end), instantly accessible in case of litigation.
Enforceable eIDAS audit trail
Each lease comes with a proof PDF: identity of each signatory (verified by SMS OTP), qualified timestamp, SHA-256 hash, IP geolocation. Enforceable in case of dispute over clauses (rent, charges, term, premises use, subletting).
Sign a commercial lease in 4 steps
From lease preparation to legal archiving, in less than 5 minutes.
1. Prepare the lease
Upload your existing PDF or start with a commercial lease status compliant template: 9-year term (3-6-9), contractual premises use, initial rent + ILC/ILAT indexation, charge allocation (Pinel law appendix), termination conditions.
2. Add the signatories
Landlord (SCI manager, joint owners, real estate company) + tenant (president, CEO, or co-managers). For each legal entity, verify the signatory's powers (recent Kbis extract). Each person receives a secure link.
3. Choose the eIDAS level
Advanced signature (AES) strongly recommended for a commercial lease: identity verification by SMS OTP, unique certificate per signatory, qualified timestamping. Avoid SES for this type of commitment (9 years + potential eviction compensation).
4. Sign and archive
Each signatory signs from their phone or computer. The finalized lease + proof PDF are automatically archived for the duration of the lease, accessible at any time from the dashboard.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a commercial lease be signed electronically?
- Yes, without restriction for a lease under private deed. 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 the signatory's identification and document integrity are guaranteed. Only notarized authentic acts require qualified electronic signature.
- What is the minimum duration of a commercial lease?
- 9 years (status of commercial leases, art. L145-4 C. com.). The tenant may terminate every 3 years ("3-6-9") unless otherwise stipulated. For a shorter duration, a derogatory lease must be concluded (short-term lease, max 3 years cumulative) which excludes the status of commercial leases.
- What level of signature for a commercial lease: SES, AES or QES?
- Advanced signature (AES) is the professional standard for a commercial lease. It benefits from the presumption of reliability (art. 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 acts.
- How to manage multi-signatory signature on the landlord and tenant side?
- The commercial lease often involves multiple signatories: joint owners on the landlord side (all must sign), co-managers of SARL or president + CEO of SAS on the tenant side. Certyneo's multi-signatory flow manages sequential or parallel signature, each signatory receives their personal link with SMS OTP.
- What are the mandatory mentions of a commercial lease?
- Identity of parties (Kbis extract for legal entities), precise designation of leased premises, contractual purpose, duration, initial rent + reference index (ILC for commerce, ILAT for tertiary activities), distribution of charges (Pinel law annex), termination conditions, inventory of entry (mandatory since 2014).
- Does the derogatory lease (short duration) follow the same rules?
- Yes, a derogatory lease (max 3 years cumulative) can be signed electronically in the same way. Warning: at expiration, if the tenant remains in the premises without opposition from the landlord, the lease automatically transforms into a commercial lease subject to the 9-year status.
- Does the commercial lease give entitlement to renewal or eviction compensation?
- Yes — at the expiration of the lease, the tenant benefits from a right to renewal or, in case of refusal by the landlord, eviction compensation (except for serious and legitimate cause, 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 jurisprudence recognizes eIDAS-compliant electronic signature. Advanced signature (AES) benefits from the presumption of reliability (art. 1367 Civil Code): the electronically signed lease is enforceable in the same way as a paper lease, subject to producing the eIDAS audit trail in court.
Also read
Sign your first commercial lease online
Permanent free plan (5 envelopes / month), without credit card. Compliant with commercial lease status and eIDAS. Audit trail and long-term archiving included.