Where European Businesses Can Find Their Company Registration Number

In Europe, businesses are typically required to register with national or regional authorities, where they receive a unique company registration number. This number is essential for legal identification, tax purposes, and public records. Depending on the country, this number may be called differently (e.g., Business Registration Number, Trade Register Number, VAT Number, etc.), but it serves the same purpose. Below are the common places and methods where businesses in various European countries can locate their registration number.

General Places to Find the Company Registration Number:

  1. Incorporation Documents:
    • When a company is first registered, it will be issued a registration number in the certificate of incorporation or similar legal documentation.
  2. Business Registers:Most European countries have an official government business registry, and the registration number can usually be found by searching for the company name on these registers. Here are the details for several countries:

United Kingdom (prior to Brexit and post-Brexit)

  • Authority: Companies House
  • Number Type: Company Registration Number (CRN)
  • Location: The CRN is provided in the Certificate of Incorporation and can also be retrieved via the Companies House website, where businesses are listed.

Germany

  • Authority: Handelsregister (Commercial Register)
  • Number Type: Handelsregisternummer (HRB number)
  • Location: The HRB number is assigned by the Handelsregister upon registration and can be found on official registration documents or by searching the Handelsregister.

France

  • Authority: Registre du Commerce et des Sociétés (RCS)
  • Number Type: SIRET or SIREN
  • Location: The SIRET or SIREN number is issued by the RCS, and businesses can find it in their registration certificate. It can also be retrieved via the Infogreffe portal.

Italy

  • Authority: Registro delle Imprese
  • Number Type: Numero Rea (REA) or VAT number
  • Location: The registration number is issued by the Chamber of Commerce and is found in the Certificate of Incorporation. It can be looked up via the Registro delle Imprese website.

Spain

  • Authority: Registro Mercantil
  • Number Type: Número de Identificación Fiscal (NIF) or Código de Identificación Fiscal (CIF)
  • Location: Spanish businesses receive their CIF or NIF upon registration with the Registro Mercantil, and this number is also included in incorporation documents.

Netherlands

  • Authority: Kamer van Koophandel (KvK)
  • Number Type: KvK number
  • Location: The KvK number is provided when a business registers with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. The number can be found in registration documents or by searching on the KvK website.

Belgium

Sweden

  • Authority: Bolagsverket (Swedish Companies Registration Office)
  • Number Type: Organisationsnummer (Company Registration Number)
  • Location: The Organisationsnummer is provided upon registration and can be found on incorporation documents or by searching the Bolagsverket database.

Denmark

  • Authority: Danish Business Authority (Erhvervsstyrelsen)
  • Number Type: CVR (Central Business Register Number)
  • Location: The CVR number is issued when a company is registered, and it can be found on official registration documents or accessed via the Virk website.

Ireland

  • Authority: Companies Registration Office (CRO)
  • Number Type: Company Registration Number (CRN)
  • Location: Businesses receive their CRN upon incorporation, which is listed on the Certificate of Incorporation and available on the CRO website.

Austria

  • Authority: Firmenbuch (Company Register)
  • Number Type: Firmenbuchnummer
  • Location: Austrian companies receive their registration number (Firmenbuchnummer) when they register with the Firmenbuch, and it can be found in registration documents or through the public database.

Finland

  • Authority: Patentti- ja rekisterihallitus (PRH)
  • Number Type: Business ID (Y-tunnus)
  • Location: The Y-tunnus is provided to businesses upon registration with the PRH, and it can be accessed via the PRH website.

Norway

  • Authority: Brønnøysund Register Centre
  • Number Type: Organisation Number
  • Location: Norwegian businesses receive their Organisation Number upon registration with the Brønnøysund Register Centre. It can be found in official documents or through their website.

Switzerland

  • Authority: Commercial Register (Handelsregister)
  • Number Type: UID (Unternehmens-Identifikationsnummer)
  • Location: The UID is provided upon registration and can be searched for through the Zefix platform, which lists registered Swiss businesses.

Portugal

  • Authority: Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado (IRN)
  • Number Type: Número de Identificação de Pessoa Colectiva (NIPC)
  • Location: Portuguese companies receive the NIPC upon registration with the IRN, and this can be found on incorporation documents or through public search tools.

Poland

  • Authority: Krajowy Rejestr Sądowy (KRS)
  • Number Type: KRS Number
  • Location: Polish businesses are assigned a KRS number when they register with the National Court Register, and this can be retrieved from their registration documents or via the public KRS database.

Disclaimer:

This article provides general information regarding company registration numbers in various European countries. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information, it may contain errors, outdated details, or omissions. Legal requirements and registration processes can change, and users are encouraged to consult official government sources or professional advisors for the most current and accurate information. By using this article, you agree that you are responsible for collecting and providing the right information for your business registration needs, and the author is not responsible for any errors or misunderstandings that arise from the use of this content.

Did this answer your question? Thanks for the feedback There was a problem submitting your feedback. Please try again later.