How can I get a Siret number in France?

Reader question: How do I obtain a Siret number for my business?

A Siret - short for Système d’identification du répertoire des établissements - is a 14 digit number that is mandatory for businesses - including micro-entreprises - to operate in France.

The first part of the Siret number is called the Siren (Système d’identification du répertoire des entreprise), which is a nine digit number that identifies the business. The full Siret number identifies the business and its locality.

If you have several businesses, each of them requires its own Siret. Micro-entrepreneurs can register several activities under one number.

So if you have several offices in your business, they will share the Siren, but have different endings for the Siret.

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You are assigned a Siret number for free when you register your business online through the Guichet des formalités des entreprises on the INPI website here. 

The form is largely self-explanatory, although requires close attention to detail, as errors are difficult to correct once you have submitted it.

It takes on average two weeks to receive a Siret once you have submitted your application, according to INPI.

Can you run a business without a Siret number?

All companies that operate in France must have a Siret number to issue invoices.

However, in the case of self-employed workers who have only recently registered their micro-entreprise,  they can continue operating while they await their Siret number. 

Once they have received a Siret, they can issue invoices for this period.

It is an offence to issue an invoice without a valid Siret number.

The penalty for this is fine of €15 per missing or inaccurate Siret for each invoice, up to a quarter of the invoice total.

It can also result in a fine of €75,000 for individuals, or €375,000 for companies. 

The fine can be doubled in the case of missing or inaccurate or fictitious invoices.