Notes about Siret Numbers

French Siret numbers are made up of 14 digits, the first 9 digits comprise the Siren number. All legitimate trades & businesses must be registered with either the Chambre de Metiers, Chambres de Commerce, Tribunaux de Commerce, the URSSAF, Services Fiscaux, or their regional office of the INSEE.

Before using a trades person it is prudent to ask to see their "Carte d'indentification" which is issued by their local Chambre de Metiers and make sure they are properly registered for the type of work they are offering. Always ask to see their relevant insurance documents - in the case of an electrician, builder etc this will include their 10 yr "Decenal" guarantee or contact your local Chambre de Commerce or Metiers office to see if the Artisan is registered correctly.

Remember that in France it is the householders responsibility to ensure that trades people they are using are properly registered and insured - there are big penalties on both sides for using unregistered trades people, for example if you were to employ an unregistered builder to work on your home and the builder had an accident whilst working on your premises you would be responsible for all costs including medical and social security charges.

Below is a list of web sites where you can check a Siren number (the first 9 digits of the Siret). Please note that some siret check websites may not be up to date or may not show all the trades that an artisan is registered to carry out - if a tradesman has recently registered his or hers details may not show immediately. If you are in any doubt about using a tradesperson ask to see their registration documents.

• Lesechos.fr
• Infogreffe.fr
• Societe.com
• Manageo.fr

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