What is the APE code (NAF code)?
Verified 05 February 2025 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
The primary activity (APE) code is used to identify the primary industry of a company or business. It has to be on the employee's pay slips.
EPA means Main activity pursued.
The APE code is 4 digits + 1 letter.
It is based on the French national classification of activities (available on INSEE's website). That's why it's sometimes called NAF code.
The following simulator allows you to quickly find the APE code for a specific job or activity:
Which EPA code for which activity?
Example :
Hairdressing activity, the APE code is then 96.02A (the same as for hairdresser-barber)
Activity of driver of VTC, the code APE is 49.32Z (the same as for taxis)
Plumber activity, the APE code is 43.22A
Electrician activity, the APE code is 43.21A
One The new 2025 NAF is currently being prepared.
From january 2026, all companies and establishments will have a new EPA code determined in accordance with NAF 2025.
The APE code identifies the main branch of activity on both companies.
This activity must be the one actually carried out.
Please note
If the company has several activities, the main activity is determined either by turnover or by the number of employees associated with each, depending on the nature of the activity.
The EPA code shall be shown on the pay slips employees.
It can also help determine the national collective agreement (NCA) that applies to employees. This is an indicator, not an automatic match.
Warning
The EPA Code has no legal value. It cannot be used to justify or not to justify the application of certain rights.
When the company is created
It is allocated automatically by theInsee: titleContent during theregistration company (i.eregistration of a micro-company, or individual business that of a, orregistration of a business).
The contractor has no request to be carried out to obtain it.
This identifier is located in its personal space on the Company Formalities Window as soon as his application for registration is accepted.
For questions about the allocation of numbers and identification codes of a company, you can contact Inpi Direct.
Who shall I contact
INPI Direct by phone or contact form
Telephone support
01 56 65 89 98
Monday to Friday
from 9 am to 6 pm
Answers to your questions
Contact Form
For any EPA code search
In the case of a general search for APE code, the following simulator may be used:
If the EPA code does not correspond or no longer corresponds to the main activity of a company, it is possible to request its modification.
Two situations are possible: either the company has changed its main activity or the EPA code assigned by INSEE is incorrect.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Change of activity
The main activity of the company has changed.
The change request the main activity and therefore the EPA code must be carried out on the company formalities window.
Please note
If the company is a business, you must also think about changing its social purpose.
Correction of an anomaly
The company has not changed its main activity but the contractor believes that the EPA code assigned to it needs to be corrected.
A report must be made to INSEE using the following online service:
Who can help me?
The public service accompanying companies
Do you have a project, a difficulty, a question of daily life?
Simple and free - you will be called back within 5 days by THE advisor who can help you.
Registering the main activity code in the companies directory
Mandatory information on pay slips
Categories of companies by number of staff, turnover and balance sheet total
Decree n°2007-1888 of 26 December 2007 approving the nomenclatures of French activities and products
Creating primary activity codes
National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE)
National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE)