You must use a private approved platform — the free public portal was abandoned

In October 2024 the French state cancelled the free public invoice-exchange portal (PPF). The PPF now only runs the business directory and forwards data to the tax authority. Every business must therefore contract with a private approved platform (plateforme agréée, formerly 'PDP') — there is no free public option. Confirmed by Décret n° 2026-677 and the Arrêté of 27 July 2026, which finalized certification requirements for approved platforms. UPDATE (28 August 2026): after the DGFiP cyberattack, France tightened the security framework around approved platforms rather than delaying the reform. Approved platforms must satisfy requirements covering identity verification, two-factor authentication, ISO certification, hosting data inside the EU, operational traceability, GDPR compliance and regular independent audits. Practical takeaway when choosing or reviewing a platform: ask for its certification and most recent audit evidence in writing, because you are handing this company every invoice you issue. UPDATE (1 September 2026): at go-live the DGFiP attached hard, immediate obligations to approved platforms, in contrast to the soft approach taken with businesses. Platforms must report their cybersecurity status to the DGFiP by the end of September 2026, must flag any incident immediately, and must undergo penetration testing this autumn. A platform that falls short faces suspension of its operations, with no grace period. The practical consequence for a small business is continuity, not paperwork: your invoices route through a company the tax authority can switch off. Two questions worth putting to your platform in writing. Has it filed its September cybersecurity report? And is it actually transmitting live invoices yet, not merely approved to? The second is not theoretical, reporting around go-live indicates only a minority of the roughly 150 registered platforms were actively exchanging data in the opening days.

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