|
ABOUT SIRET NUMBERS
The SIRET number is an
identification number for each French business. It is unique to that
business and legally linked to a particular person. If several
people engage in similar activities at the same geographical
location then each must have their own SIRET number. The SIRET
number is also linked to the geographical site as well so the same
legal person should get a different SIRET number if his activity
takes place in several different locations.
It is set up by the INSEE (Institut National de la Statistique
et des Etudes Economiques ) in the framework of the system SYRENE. (Système
National Informatique pour le Répertoire des Entreprises et des
Etablissements) The SIRET number is made up of several different
identifiers and is unique to the particular business. Companies (entreprises)
who run several businesses in different areas must have a SIRET
number for each business and different establishments who work
individually in the same location must also have individual SIRET
numbers.
The SIRET consists of 14 digits. The first 9 numbers are the SIREN
number for the business. The first 8 digits have no significance
except for administrative purposes and to organisations such as
communes, fiscal offices etc. They identify the business as well as
its location on the national list. The ninth digit is a check digit
and has no link to the characteristics of the type business
concerned. The SIREN is only issued once and removed from the list
as soon as the business ceases to function, the owner dies or the
business is dissolved. As it is legally linked to an individual, it
is not transferred. The second part of the SIRET number is the NIC (Numéro
Interne de Classement) which consists of 5 digits. The first 4
identify the business (or one of several businesses in the case of
an enterprise running several establishments) The 5th digit is
another check digit to validate the complete 14
 number
code.
All registered workers
should be immatriculated with the Centres de Formalités des
Entreprises (CFE) at their local Chambres de Commerce, Chambre de
Métiers, Tribunaux de Commerce, or the URSSAF, Services Fiscaux, or
regional office of the INSEE.
The only real ways to
check if someone is registered for all trades they advertise are:
1. Ask to see his/her
"carte d'indentification" issued by the local Chambre de Metiers
which lists the trades on the card. This is a white card with green
writing on the cover, and everyone has to have one.
2. Contact the Chambre
des Metiers and ask direct.
3. Ask to see insurance documents for responsabilité civile
and decennial which are the two obligatory insurances in France. The
insurance document will show and list the items or trades which the
artisan is insured to undertake.
|
Just
put in the Siren number (first 9 numbers) and it will give the
details - also of what the artisan is authorised to do. A good site
for verifying a UK company number is:-
If artisans are deemed to be resident in France
for tax purposes (181 days here) then the UK Ltd
Reg. No. is not enough. They should be
registered at the Chambre des Metiers and have a
French Siret No. together with the UK Ltd Reg.
No. Please check with the artisan you are hoping
to employ.