France: End of self-certification and new obligation for POS certification from 2025

POS certification in France: These rules will apply from September 1, 2025

France is tightening its requirements for POS systems; the previously permitted self-certification (French "auto-certification") expires on August 31, 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 catering sectors.

The current requirements for POS systems in France are based on the official tax guide for POS certification(BOFiP, April 2025) from the French Ministry of Finance. This is based on Article 88 of the Loi de finances rectificative pour 2016.

Important deadlines at a glance

• Until August 31, 2025:
  Self-certified POS systems are still permitted.

• From September 1, 2025 to February 28, 2026:
  Only POS systems that are either already certified or for which the certification process has demonstrably begun with Infocert or LNE, for example through a signed contract, an order confirmation or the acceptance of an offer, are still permitted.

• From March 1, 2026:
  Only fully certified POS systems may be used.

Which certifications are permitted in France?

According to the official specifications, two certification paths are recognized:

• NF525 certification

• Certification of POS systems by the French testing institute LNE (Laboratoire national de métrologie et d'essais)

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A certified status also exists if one of the following documents is available by 31.08.2025:

• Confirmation of an accepted offer

• Binding order with the certification institute

• Signed contract for certification

Who is affected?

The regulation applies to:

• Provider of POS systems with customers in France

• Companies with POS systems in the French market

• All companies planning to expand into France

The certification obligation applies to all sectors – including retail, catering, services or other areas. The decisive factor is which payment methods are accepted.

efsta solution: Future-proof & certifiable

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:

• A central connection of POS systems

• Support for both certification paths (NF525 & LNE)

• Flexible use with existing or new cash register solutions

Interested or have questions? Contact us via our contact form  

Conclusion: act now and meet deadlines

Self-certification is coming to an end and companies must act now to avoid compliance risks. Only with a formal certification process or a completed certification will you remain legally compliant from September 2025.