RCS Number: Business Registration in France Explained
What is the RCS number, who must register, how the number is formatted, and the difference with SIREN and SIRET.
What is the RCS?
The RCS (Registre du Commerce et des Sociétés — Commercial and Companies Register) is the official register where commercial companies and certain sole traders register in France. It is maintained by the clerks of commercial courts (greffes des tribunaux de commerce).
Registration with the RCS gives the company legal personality and formalizes its legal existence. Without RCS registration, a company cannot legally conduct commercial activity.
RCS number format
The RCS number is not an additional identifier: it is formed from the SIREN along with the registration city:
RCS Paris 123 456 789
Who must register with the RCS?
Mandatory
- All commercial companies (SARL, SAS, SA, EURL, SNC...)
- Civil companies with an ancillary commercial activity
- Individual traders (excluding micro-enterprises)
- Economic interest groupings (GIE)
- Branches of foreign companies established in France
Not subject to RCS registration
- Auto-entrepreneurs / micro-enterprises
- Liberal professions (doctors, lawyers, architects...)
- Craftspeople (they register with the RM — Répertoire des Métiers)
- Loi 1901 associations (they register with the RNA)
- Farmers (they register with the agricultural chamber)
Difference between RCS, SIREN and SIRET
| Identifier | Format | Issued by | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIREN | 9 digits | INSEE | Identifies the company (all forms) |
| SIRET | 14 digits | INSEE | Identifies a specific establishment |
| RCS | RCS + City + SIREN | Commercial court registry | Registration of commercial companies |
How to register with the RCS?
Since 2023, registrations are done exclusively via the one-stop shop: formalites.entreprises.gouv.fr.
Frequently asked questions
Via infogreffe.fr (paid) or via the Pappers.fr database (free). The RCS number also appears on the company's extrait Kbis.
The SIREN remains the same, but the registration city can change if the new headquarters is in the jurisdiction of a different commercial court. In that case, "RCS Paris" might become "RCS Lyon".
No, SCIs do not register with the RCS because they have a civil (non-commercial) nature. They register with the clerk of the judicial court.
RandomSiret Editorial Team
French business identification specialists
Last updated: 28/01/2026
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