6. Registering a Business in France

1. 6.1. Business Registration Centres
   6.2. Business Registration Number
   6.3. Cessation of Business Activities

6.2. Business Registration Number in France - SIRET

As a new business you will be given a business registration number comprising 14 digits in total, known as your SIRET.

The first 9 numbers are your SIRENE, which is your registration number on the national business register.

The last 5 digits are your NIC (Numéro Interne de Classement), which identifies the business geographically.

In addition, and separately from your SIRET, you will also be given a 5 figure code which identifies your business activity. Since 2008 this code is called the APE (Activité Principale Exercée). It used to be called the NAF - Nomenclature des Activités Françaises.

There are hundreds of different business activity codes, a complete list of which is contained on the site of the French national statistical agency INSEE.

If you need to register the domain name of an internet site you intend to develop then you need to register the site with AFNIC, the French domain name registration agency.

If you need to register a patent, protect a name or intellectual process then you need to contact INPI, the French patents agency.