Expert help on registering, setting up and starting a business in France.
You’re working on a business project and everybody keeps asking for your SIRET or SIREN number: for quotes, for advertising, for partnerships, so what is it?
A SIREN number is your business’ unique ID number. This 9 digit number will be requested by all French administration dealing with you: URSSAF, RSI, Impot, etc. It is a proof that you are a fully registered French business, listed on the national business directory - répertoire national des entreprises. Your SIREN number will be issued by INSEE (the national institute of statistics), when you register your business.
So what is the difference between SIREN and SIRET? SIRET is a 14 digit number referring to each business location you may have (SIREN + 5 digits).
Your unique SIREN number should look like this if you are a limited company or are in a trading activity (commercant): RCS PARIS 453 983 245. RCS stands for Registre du Commerce et des Societes (i.e. registration via the Chambre du Commerce et de l’Industrie). For crafts and manual activities - artisans- registering with Chambre de Metiers, your SIREN number will look like this RC NANTES 234 987 456.
If you want to find out more about your competitors, write down there SIREN number or name, then have a look at www.societe.com. You will find out when they created their business, number of employees, activity code. For limited companies, you will also have access to their financial results (turnover, profit or loss, etc).
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