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Personal · Administrative assistance

Setting up Adrien's sole trader business (carpentry) — INPI file


Claude · HL · · Perso

Context

Adrien Lahutte, 18, my nephew, needs to register as a self-employed carpenter. I'm helping him navigate the admin side: he needs a complete guide to fill out the INPI form, correctly formatted supporting documents, and clear explanations of the tax regime to get started.

What was built

  • Guides: sole trader regime (thresholds, obligations), INPI step by step, Monthly vs Quarterly, micro regime, carpentry NAF codes (recommended 4399C)
  • Filled-in PDF documents: sworn statement, proof of address (utility bill + accommodation certificate + national ID), ready to sign
  • Navigation through the INPI form steps 1 to 8/9 (identity, business, activity, tax options with withholding tax explained…)

What was tricky / unexpected

  • The INPI form is generic and confusing (designed for SARLs/EIRLs) — the "secondary residence" / "property publication" pages are unclear for a micro-entrepreneur
  • PDF merge + OCR of images (untouched original utility bill + edited certificate + front and back of national ID) — PyPDF2 + ReportLab
  • Adrien lives at his mother's — needed to create an accommodation certificate + scan all documents into a single PDF

Stack

Python 3 (ReportLab, PyPDF2/pypdf), INPI forms (guichet unique), Google Docs / Markdown. Purely administrative process, no technical integration.

What this shows

Complex administrative guidance: breaking down a government form (9 steps, 50+ fields), generating compliant legal documents, explaining tax concepts with real numbers, orchestrating PDF merges, and adapting the language to the audience (18-year-old). Structured problem + lots of hand-holding, minimal code — ideal territory.

Still to do

  • Step 9/9 (summary & electronic signature) of the INPI form
  • Adrien + Elise sign the declarations
  • Submit the file → receive SIRET within 24–48h