What the SIREN and SIRET numbers are
The SIREN is the nine-digit identity of the legal entity, issued by the national statistics institute INSEE when the business registers, and unchanged for the life of the company. The SIRET is fourteen digits and identifies a specific establishment: it is the SIREN followed by a five-digit internal code (the NIC), so the head office and each branch carry different SIRETs built on the same SIREN. A company therefore has exactly one SIREN and as many SIRETs as it has locations.
The French VAT number is built from the same root: FR, two computed digits, then the SIREN, which means an invoice's VAT number, SIRET and SIREN should all reconcile to one entity. If they don't, you are either looking at two different businesses, or an error to be resolved before you do business.
How to check a SIREN or SIRET free
France is one of the easier countries to carry out verification checks. The official company directory (annuaire-entreprises.data.gouv.fr) returns the legal name, registered address, status, activity code and the establishment list for any SIREN, SIRET or company name, free and without registration. INSEE's Sirene service generates a dated registration certificate (the avis de situation) as a free PDF, useful when you need something to put on file. Infogreffe, the commercial courts' portal, offers searches and sells the Kbis extract: the certified registry document that serves as formal legal proof of the company's existence, status and management.
For routine vetting, match three things against the documents you were given: the legal name for that SIREN, the establishment address behind the SIRET on the paperwork, and that the entity's status is active. Our France company credit report page covers the wider French sources, and the registry directory lists them with access ratings.
What a SIREN check proves, and what it doesn't
A SIREN lookup trace confirms the entity exists, is registered, is active, and operates from the establishments listed. It says nothing about whether the company pays its suppliers, is solvent, or is involved in litigation; French accounts are filed but can be made confidential by smaller companies, so even the financial layer is often incomplete in the public record. For a commercial business decision, a full company report adds the financial standing, payment behaviour and adverse history that the number itself says nothing about.
Common questions
Is the SIREN the same as the French VAT number?
No, but they are related: the VAT number is FR plus two computed digits plus the SIREN. Two of the three identifiers on an invoice can therefore be cross-checked against each other.
What is the difference between SIREN and SIRET?
The SIREN identifies the company; the SIRET identifies one of its locations. The first nine digits of any SIRET are the company's SIREN.
How do I check a SIREN number for free?
Search it on the official annuaire-entreprises directory, which is free and open; INSEE's Sirene service also issues a free dated certificate of registration for the file.
Need more than the number can tell you?
A France company credit report adds financial standing, payment behaviour and adverse history to the registry facts, available as an instant online report. Delivered in plain English.