how to get a Siret Number

[garymx]

Hi ,,How do you get a Siret Number for a new Business in France ?

[Bevdeforges]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

When you register the new business, part of that registration process is the application for the SIRET number. Normally, you work through the local Chambre de Commerce if you're starting an SARL or an EURL (basically corporations). If you're considered an "artisan" or a "profession liberale" you register through the Chambre de Metiers. Once you have deposited your dossier to start the business and fulfillled the other requirements, the process is put in motion for you to receive your SIRET, APE and all the other (tons of) stuff you need to get started.

Some Chambres de Commerce have small business start-up offices, where you can find someone to help walk you through the process. (If you're an artisan or in the professions liberales, the gérant of the company or practice may need to get their own SIRET in addition to the company SIRET.)
Cheers,
Bev

[garymx]

Hi Bev , Thank you for your help . do you know how long this will take ?

[Bevdeforges]

The best way to find out how long things will take is to talk to your local Chambre de Commerce. We set up our business about 12 years ago and things have (supposedly) been simplified a bit since then. As I recall, it took DH (dear husband - who is French by birth) a couple of months to pull together all the various paperwork for submission. Once your dossier is submitted and complete, you start getting gobs of stuff by mail - SIRET, APE, tax forms and more tax forms! Within just a couple of weeks.

But before that, you have to prepare your Statuts, and then post a special advertisement in one of the local business papers, stating that you are setting up a business, the name, siège social, gérant and all that stuff. You have to set up a special bank account with your capital in it - and then they transfer it all to your "real" bank account only after you have the SIRET, I think it is. It's the prep work that is so time consuming - kind of like a paperwork scavenger hunt.

The Chambre de Commerce normally has someone who will review your dossier (for a fee - but a small one) to make sure you aren't missing anything critical. That's probably the best person to ask about "how much longer will this take?"
Cheers,
Bev

[garymx]

Thank you for the info..
Gary

[Tigerlilly]

Hi there,
I dont know how good your French is but we did all this online 2yrs ago with URSSAF website (branch we needed for our business) but apparently this is all going under one roof now called RSI.
We filled out forms on line and all of a sudden reams of paperwork arrived in the post from several offices (french redtape) but this should be simplified now. Chamber of Commerce is a good place to start if you are intimidated by PC or French. Ours in Perigueux is quite english friendly.
Good luck,

[Bevdeforges]

Good point - the RSI covers artisans and professions liberale - but only for the cotisations (social insurances).

For an SARL or EURL, you still have to go through the Chambre de Commerce, although like most things in France, it varies by departement. (Some departments are more computerized and Internet accessible than others.)

To establish a professional company (there's a whole alphabet of company types - for lawyers, doctors or whatever else), the Chambre de Metiers should be able to help.
Cheers,
Bev

[garymx]

Great help , I am on the case ...