Certification NF525: What does the law say about cash registers?

Since January 1, 2018, French law requires any merchant subject to VAT who records customer payments via software or a point-of-sale system to have certified software compliant with the requirements. This obligation, stemming from the 2016 finance law (article 88), aims to combat VAT fraud. For restaurateurs, understanding this regulation is essential to avoid heavy financial penalties.

The NF525 certification, issued by the LNE (National Metrology and Testing Laboratory), is the reference standard for point-of-sale software in France. It guarantees four fundamental conditions: immutability (recorded data cannot be modified), security (data is protected from any manipulation), preservation (data is archived for a minimum of 6 years) and archiving (data is accessible in case of tax audits).

In the event of a control, if your point-of-sale software is not certified, you risk a fine of 7,500 euros per non-compliant software. You then have 60 days to come into compliance. In case of recidivism, the fine is doubled. For a restaurant with multiple points of sale, fines can accumulate quickly. It is therefore crucial to verify that your solution is properly certified before any control.

Attention: the NF525 certification is not the only compliance route. The law also accepts an individual attestation from the software publisher. Some publishers like Square or Zettle deliver an individual attestation rather than going through NF525 certification. This attestation has the same legal value, but it only commits the publisher and not an independent organization. In case of dispute, NF525 certification offers superior legal security.

Most major French point-of-sale software is certified NF525: Zelty, Innovorder, Popina, Cashpad, L’Addition, Tactill. For international solutions (Lightspeed, Square, Zettle), specifically verify compliance for the French market. Some international versions are not automatically compliant with French requirements.

A frequently misunderstood point: certification concerns the software, not the hardware. Whether you use an iPad, an Android tablet, or a PC, it is the point-of-sale software that must be certified. The hardware itself does not need specific certification (aside from standard electrical safety norms). However, if you use an uncertified point-of-sale software on certified hardware, you remain non-compliant.

Software updates must also maintain compliance. When your publisher deploys a new version, it must respect the same certification criteria. Certified publishers NF525 are regularly audited by the LNE to guarantee compliance continuity. Ensure that your contract includes updates and that your publisher commits to maintaining certification.

For restaurateurs who use multiple tools (cash register, order aggregator, order terminal), the issue of compliance arises for each tool that processes payments. Your main cash register must be certified, but if your order terminal also processes payments, it must also be compliant. Check each link in your payment chain.

In summary: do not take the NF525 certification lightly. Verify that your point-of-sale software is listed on the list of certified software by the LNE (available on their official website), keep your certificate or conformity statement, and ensure that each update maintains this compliance. It’s a minimal investment to avoid a fine of €7,500 and tax complications.