Are you a self-employed entrepreneur or about to set up your own business? Find out all you need to know about the APE code and how to change it if you make a mistake.
What is the APE code?
First and foremost, the APE or NAF code is assigned by INSEE when a company is registered. This code, made up of four digits and one letter, identifies the company's or entrepreneur's main branch of activity.
INSEE provides a search tool for the nomenclature d'activité française (NAF), enabling everyone to identify their code. When a company carries out several activities, the nature of the main activity is determined according to the sector of activity.
For example, in the case of industrial activities, the main activity is the one with the highest number of employees. In the case of multiple commercial activities, the main activity is the one generating the highest sales. Finally, if the company carries out both industrial and commercial activities, as long as industrial sales account for at least 25% of total sales, the main activity will be considered industrial.
Steps to change your APE code
There are two situations in which an entrepreneur may need to change his APE code:
1. The company's APE code is incorrect
A company can request to change its APE code if it finds that the one assigned by INSEE does not correspond precisely to the activity it carries out. In this case, you need to fill in an APE code modification request form, then send it by e-mail or post to the INSEE regional office responsible for the département in which the company is located. The form contains a number of items of information, including the SIREN number, a description of the activities carried out, the number of employees and the percentage of sales they represent.
2. Main activity has evolved
A company changing activity can also change its APE code by contacting the Centre de Formalités des Entreprises (CFE) on which it depends: the Chambre de Commerce et de l'Industrie (CCI) for retailers, the Chambre des Métiers et de l'Artisanat (CMA) for craftsmen, or URSSAF for the self-employed.
To do this, you need to complete and sign an activity modification request form and return it to the CFE responsible by e-mail or post. On receipt of this document, the CFE will register the request, then inform INSEE of the change in status. The company will then receive a new SIREN status notice with a modified APE code.
So, while the APE code has no real legal value, it can be important in the context of a call for tenders, and should be modified if necessary.