French B2B Purchase Order Template 2026

No. Between businesses, the bon de commande is an optional commercial document — there is no mandatory CERFA template. That said, it is strongly recommended: once signed by the buyer, it provides clear evidence of agreement on the product, quantity and price, and protects both parties in the event of a dispute. Without one, proving the exact terms of an oral or informal arrangement before a French commercial court can be very difficult.

A compliant bon de commande must include: full identification of both parties (company name, legal form, SIREN/SIRET registration number, address), a purchase order number and issue date, a precise description of each item or service ordered, quantities, unit price excluding VAT (HT), total HT, the applicable VAT rate and amount, total including VAT (TTC), payment terms (deadline, method, late-payment penalties), delivery conditions, and a reference to the original quotation (devis) and the supplier's general terms and conditions (CGV — conditions générales de vente).

Yes. The buyer's signature — typically accompanied by the phrase 'bon pour accord' (approved as agreed) and the company stamp — constitutes formal acceptance of the offer. The document then becomes a firm commitment: the buyer is obligated to pay and the seller to deliver under the agreed conditions. It is fully enforceable as a contractual document before a French commercial court in the event of any dispute over delivery, quality or payment.

If no specific agreement exists, payment is due within 30 days of receipt of goods or completion of services. Parties may negotiate longer terms, but these are strictly capped at 60 days from the invoice date, or 45 days end-of-month (fin de mois), as set out in Article L441-10 of the Code de commerce (French Commercial Code). Exceeding these caps is a serious administrative offence: fines can reach €2 million for a legal entity under Article L441-16.

Late-payment penalties are mandatory and must be stated explicitly. The rate cannot be lower than three times the statutory interest rate (taux d'intérêt légal), as required by Article L441-10 II of the Code de commerce. In addition, a flat-fee recovery indemnity (indemnité forfaitaire de recouvrement) of €40 per unpaid invoice applies automatically under Article D441-5 of the Code de commerce. Omitting either clause from your purchase order or invoice is itself subject to an administrative fine.

A devis (quotation or estimate) is the seller's priced offer, setting out what will be provided and at what cost. The bon de commande (purchase order) is the buyer's formal acceptance of that offer, triggering the contractual obligation. In practice, the purchase order references the original devis number to document mutual agreement. Together, the two documents form the complete contractual basis of the B2B transaction under French commercial law.