Would you like to embark on a new entrepreneurial adventure? Before you can fully concentrate on developing your business, you'll need to take a number of steps.

When setting up a new business, you'll need to obtain a great deal of information before you can launch your activity.

This information must be carefully preserved. And among them is the SIREN number!

What is the SIREN number? How do I get one? What is it used for?

Focus today on the SIREN number!

SIREN definition

First of all, it's important to know exactly what a SIREN number is.

This is a number assigned by INSEE, the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies, and is made up of a set of 9 digits.

The purpose of this number is to identify each company to the authorities.

This number must appear on all invoices and quotations produced by your company.

It can also be found in all the company's commercial documents, in the legal notices on the company's website, or in the General Terms and Conditions of Sale.

Last but not least, such a number appears on all tax and social security declarations issued directly by the company.

So this number is definitely important.

What's it for?

Then it's logical to ask what's the real point of such an issue?

First of all, it's important to remember that the French administration is responsible for registering all companies and establishments on French territory.

These are listed in a National Identification Register, then managed by INSEE via the SIRENE system (Système Informatique pour le Répertoire des Entreprises et des Etablissements).

The missions assigned to this number are :

  • Ensure proper coordination between all administrative bodies, including URSSAF, tax authorities and others. This coordination is essential when setting up, modifying or even closing down a business.
  • Establish a panel of statistical data to monitor the demographics of French companies, and conduct annual surveys to track changes in the French entrepreneurial world.
  • Ensure transparency concerning companies. In fact, any individual or legal entity has the right to request access to information on legal entities or individual entrepreneurs via their SIREN number, with the obvious exception of the dates or places of birth of individual entrepreneurs.

Where can I find it?

Finally, where can I find my SIREN number?

Such a number is far from difficult to find.

As such, it can be found in a number of ways:

  • Firstly, it can be found on documents issued by the company in question, which is obliged to show it on documents such as invoices and other estimates.
  • Secondly, this number can be accessed directly on the company's website.
  • Finally, these numbers are usually available on websites such as Infogreffe , which lists all SIREN numbers.

In conclusion, the SIREN number is of undeniable importance for a company

Be careful, however, not to confuse it with the SIRET number. The two are often confused.

The difference between these two numbers is that while the SIREN number identifies a company, the SIRET identifies its establishments.

Please note that each SIRET number includes the company's SIREN number.