Understanding APE and NAF codes
When you register a company in France, the Insee (The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies) will give you an APE code, sometimes also called the NAF code. This code only serves to identify which sector your activity is in. This allows the Insee to be able to easily craft statistics, for example.
However, this code can also help you in particular! In particular, it is your activity that determines what collective agreement (a collective set of rules) your company is subject to. As such, it’s important that your APE code is accurate to your activity!
It’s indeed possible that your APE code doesn’t represent the activity of your company correctly. This can happen if the company’s activity changes, for example. In these cases, you can request your code to be changed by filing a request to the CFE (Companies Formalities Center).
Of course, human error is always possible, so the Insee could simply have given you an incorrect code form the start. If that’s the case, it’s the Insee, and not the CFE that you need to contact to have your code changed.
