French business search: SIREN, SIRET and RNE
Identify a French legal entity by SIREN, distinguish establishment SIRET numbers and review RNE data.
Official services open in a new tab. Guidance checked: 21 October 2026. Access conditions and interfaces may change.
What to prepare
Ask for the French company’s nine-digit SIREN whenever possible. A SIRET points to a particular establishment rather than replacing the entity’s SIREN; a group can also operate several legal entities. The company name on a website or storefront is not always the registered denomination.
How to search the official register
Search the public Annuaire des Entreprises by name or identifier. Compare the SIREN, registered name, address and activity shown, then distinguish headquarters from individual establishments. For formal register documents or filings, follow the Registre national des entreprises route to DATA INPI and search the same entity.
Interpret the result carefully
The Annuaire aggregates public administrative information and is a convenient starting point. The RNE is the national business register operated through INPI. A quick lookup and a requested extract answer different needs. Do not treat an activity code as proof that a regulated profession or financial service has been licensed.
Which document do you need?
Tell the recipient whether it needs identification details, a register extract or a filed document, and whether it refers to a particular SIRET location. Share the SIREN and the document purpose when contacting LegalRegistr.
If a search is inconclusive
If a search by trading name is inconclusive, enter the SIREN from the invoice or legal notice. Several SIRETs can appear under one SIREN because each establishment has its own identifier. If your counterparty gives only a SIRET, identify its parent SIREN before asking for an entity-level document. Check the administrative status shown and the date of the information you use.