SIRET
A fourteen-digit identification number that designates a specific establishment of a company. It links an activity to an identified legal unit.
Definition
The SIRET is the fourteen-digit identification number that designates an establishment, that is, a place of business declared by a company. It consists of the nine-digit legal unit number, followed by a five-digit internal classification number known as the NIC. It is assigned upon registration and maintained by INSEE.
A company therefore does not have a single SIRET, but as many SIRET numbers as it has declared establishments. The registered office, a factory, a warehouse or a point of sale each have their own, and the number of the registered office is no different in nature from that of the other locations. The linking of each location to a legal unit remains the key to reading the register.
The distinction from the SIREN is the most frequent source of confusion. The SIREN identifies the company as a legal person, the SIRET identifies one of its places of business. For a third party, the consequence is direct, since the invoice or the contract concerns a specific establishment, whereas the obligation falls on the legal unit that enters into the commitment.
What the SIRET allows
Identifying the establishment concerned
Two companies may have similar names, and a business may operate several places of activity. The SIRET removes the doubt by designating the exact establishment in question.
Invoicing, declaring and responding to a public contract
The SIRET appears on invoices and documents exchanged with customers and suppliers. It is expected in responses to public contracts and in declarations addressed to social security bodies.
Linking a notice to the correct entity
Notices published in the BODACC are linked to the legal unit number. The SIRET completes this identification when the event concerns a specific establishment.
What distinguishes the SIRET from the SIREN
A stable number for the company
The legal unit number does not change over the course of the company's life. A change of name, registered office, activity or manager does not affect it.
Establishment numbers that follow openings and closures
Establishment numbers accompany the declarations made to the register. A new location receives its number, a closed location ceases to be active, a relocated establishment may receive a different number.
What changes and what remains attached to the company
A move, a change of activity or a transfer do not create a new company; the legal unit keeps its number. The publications arising from them remain attached to that number.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find a company's SIRET number?
It appears on registration extracts, invoices and contractual documents. A search by name or by address can be used to retrieve it, provided that the establishment concerned is verified.
Does the SIRET number change during the life of the company?
The legal unit number does not change. The number of an establishment, however, follows the declarations made to the register, as a new or relocated site may be assigned a different one.
What should be done if an establishment closes?
The closure is declared and entered in the register. The establishment ceases to be active, while the legal unit continues to exist until it is struck off.
Is the SIRET number included in public notices?
The identification of notices published in the BODACC is based on the legal unit number. The SIRET number is used instead in formalities and commercial relations, where the establishment must be designated precisely.