The time has come to equip yourself with a cash register system or to replace the solution you opted for in the past? In addition to being efficient and adapted to your expectations, it must above all comply with the law. It must therefore be certified by the software publisher itself or, even better, meet the NF525 standard.
No need to frown. By the end of this article, this government certification will have no secrets for you!
1. Restaurant cash register: what are the legal obligations?
The Finance Act No. 2015-1785 of December 29, 2015, and more specifically Article 88 of the so-called "anti-VAT fraud" law, sets the legal and regulatory framework applying to cash register systems. As a restaurant owner, you are in no way obliged to equip yourself with a cash register, but if you do, it will have to comply with this law, and this since February 1, 2018.
This law obliges each professional who owns a cash register and is subject to VAT to obtain a certificate of conformity. This certification can take two different forms.
The first, and without a doubt the simplest and most effective, is the NF525 certification. Before being a standard, NF is above all a mark owned by the AFNOR group. The NF525 mark, which is the subject of this article, is managed by INFOCERT on behalf of AFNOR. By granting this certification, this accredited organization allows cash register and payment systems editors to offer merchants and restaurant owners solutions that guarantee data reliability and integrity.
The second option is an individual certificate issued directly by the publisher of the software or cash register system according to the model established by the tax authorities. The publisher is none other than the company that owns the source code of the solution and controls the modification of the parameters. The latter is not obliged to provide you with the certification ensuring its compliance. It is up to you to request it. This document must be in the name of your company and indicate the precise reference, the date of acquisition of the software as well as a special mention on the respect of 4 conditions.
What are these conditions? The suspense ends in the next paragraph. You will also have to commit and sign the document with your editor. If this self-certification system is perfectly in order from a legal point of view, the guarantees for the restaurant owners using the cash register software are less in case of control.
2. What does the NF525 standard provide?
The NF525 certification aims to prove that your cash register system meets the following conditions:
- Condition of security : the software used must allow to secure the original data, all the modifications made as well as the supporting documents.
- Condition of inalterability : the software used preserves all the data without possibility of return or modification. Similarly, all corrections must be written down.
- Archiving conditions : the software must provide for an archiving period where the data is frozen and dated with a technical device guaranteeing the integrity of the information.
- Retention conditions: the software must keep the data for a minimum of 6 years and close them at regular intervals.
These 4 conditions are intended to prevent the modification or deletion of data, a maneuver put in place to reduce the taxation applied to the restaurant.
Your software or cash register system must also comply with the ISO 9001 standard for quality requirements, especially for customer satisfaction .
Beyond the legal obligation, this certification is also a plus for the daily management of your activity since it will considerably facilitate the follow-up and analysis of orders. It is also a competitive advantage and strengthens the confidence of your customers.
3. How to recognize an NF525 certificate?
The NF525 certificate takes the form of an A4 document and includes the following information:
- the certificate number,
- the date,
- the name and address of your establishment,
- the name of the software and its version,
- the name of the certifying body,
- and the validity date of the certificate.
In the event of an audit, this is the document that will be required. You can find it online or your publisher will send it to you upon request.
To find out if the software publisher is certified or not, you just have to go to the NF525 mark website and search on the name of the product or the publisher. No more doubt allowed after that!
4. What are the risks of non-compliance?
In the event of an inspection, your only obligation as a restaurant owner is to provide the Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (DGFiP) with the certificate issued by an accredited third-party organization (INFOCERT) or the certificate of compliance issued by the publisher of your software or cash register system. The fine for non-compliance is 7,500 euros.
Following the tax authorities' inspection, you will then have 60 days to submit your certificate or face a second fine of a similar amount. Penalties are also applied until the day of compliance.
Please note that within 30 days of receiving the fine, restaurant owners may make representations or submit a valid certificate of compliance. If the proof requested by the administration is provided within this time frame, then the fine may be cancelled.
Finally, the presentation of a false certificate is an offence punishable by 3 years in prison and a 45,000 euro fine .
5. Which cash register to choose?
The Innovorder touchscreen cash register, of course!
The cash register that we offer is certified NF525.
The proof is in our certificate!
Spoiler Alert, our payment system is not only compliant with the current regulations, but it is also synchronized with all the solutions we offer!
Thanks to its touch screen, our cash register is both intuitive and scalable and will allow you to manage your omnichannel sales with ease so that you can focus on the essential: customer satisfaction.
👉 To go further: discover Charlene's testimonial, BCHEF franchisee.
At Innovorder, we consider the cash register to be the conductor of your restaurant. That's why it's so important to choose it carefully!
The one that we put at your disposal allows you to :
- Receive all your orders, regardless of the channel used (counter, kiosk, online order, table order via QR code, click and collect, etc.)
- centralize the management of the peripherals with which your restaurant is equipped : POS, order terminal, coin dispenser, printer, beeper, cash drawer, etc.
Our cash register is also a great management tool because it facilitates the analysis of your data and allows you to make accurate reports of your activity to make the right decisions.
👉 To go further: guide: how to choose the best cash register software for your restaurant?
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Do you want to equip your restaurant with the best digital solutions on the market? Contact an Innovorder expert and receive customized advice for your establishment.
