What is a SIRET number? Free checker
A SIRET is the 14-digit identifier of a French business establishment: the company’s 9-digit SIREN followed by a 5-digit establishment code (NIC). Check any SIRET or SIREN below against the official French register, and get the computed intra-EU VAT number.
SIRET = SIREN (9 digits, the company) + NIC (5 digits, the establishment)
Live lookup in the official French government register
Intra-EU VAT number computed from the SIREN with its control key
SIRET, SIREN, VAT number, Kbis: which is which
Four French identifiers that look alike and serve different purposes. Mixing them up delays invoicing, banking files and incorporations.
SIREN: the company
Nine digits assigned by INSEE at registration, unique and permanent. It identifies the legal entity itself and appears on the Kbis extract and on invoices.
- Never changes, even after a move or a name change.
- Never reassigned to another company after deregistration.
- Example: 942 525 098 for Hayot Expertise.
SIRET: the establishment
Fourteen digits: the SIREN followed by the 5-digit NIC designating one specific establishment. A company has as many SIRETs as it has establishments.
- The SIRET changes when the establishment moves; the SIREN does not.
- Payslips and social filings carry the SIRET, not just the SIREN.
- The last NIC digit is a checksum.
VAT number: invoicing
FR + a 2-digit key + the SIREN. The key formula is (12 + 3 × (SIREN mod 97)) mod 97. The checker computes it for you.
- Mandatory on invoices once the business is VAT-registered.
- For intra-EU invoicing, confirm activation on VIES.
- A micro-entreprise under the VAT franchise may have no active number.
When to check a SIRET
Thirty seconds that prevent disputes and rejected files.
- Before paying a new French supplier: the number exists, the company is active, the address matches.
- Before signing with a contractor: a deregistered business is no longer insured.
- When receiving an invoice: an invalid or closed SIRET can jeopardise VAT deduction.
- Before intra-EU invoicing: the computed VAT number must be active on VIES.
- When onboarding a business partner: register checks are part of French AML due diligence.
- On subcontracting agreements: status must be checked at signature then every six months (URSSAF vigilance).
The firm’s reading
For foreign companies invoicing French clients, the SIRET check is the first reflex: it confirms the counterparty exists and is active, and the computed VAT number is what belongs on intra-EU invoices once confirmed on VIES. The least-known point is fiscal: paying an invoice that carries an invalid or closed SIRET can jeopardise VAT recovery in an audit.
Frequently asked questions
What is a SIRET number in France?
The SIRET is the 14-digit identifier of one French business establishment: the company’s 9-digit SIREN followed by a 5-digit establishment code called NIC. It is issued by INSEE at registration and appears on invoices, payslips and official filings.
What is the difference between SIREN and SIRET?
The SIREN (9 digits) identifies the company as a legal entity; the SIRET (14 digits) identifies each of its establishments. One company, one SIREN, possibly several SIRETs.
How do I check a SIRET number for free?
Type it into the checker above: it validates the checksum, then queries the official French open-data register and returns the company name, status and address. No account needed.
How do I get the French VAT number from a SIREN?
The French VAT number is FR + a 2-digit key + the SIREN, where the key equals (12 + 3 × (SIREN mod 97)) mod 97. The checker computes it automatically. Confirm activation on VIES before intra-EU invoicing.
How does a foreign company get a SIRET?
By registering a French presence: a subsidiary, a branch or a permanent establishment, filed through the INPI one-stop shop. Our firm handles the French side of these registrations for foreign groups, in English.
Official sources
Checker queries the official public register live. Updated July 2026.
Related resources
Setting up or invoicing in France?
Company registration, VAT setup and French compliance for foreign businesses: the firm answers in English within 24 to 48 hours.