Apply for a tax number

Valid for life, your tax identification number allows the tax authorities to identify you. In France, you will be asked for this tax number for the creation of your Private Space and then during your various administrative exchanges. It also allows you to make your payments and obtain your refunds from the FISC. Find here the procedure for applying for a NIF, how to obtain your tax number for the first time or what to do in the event of loss of your tax number.

What is the TIN?

The NIF is the abbreviation used to refer to the tax identification number which is assigned to each taxpayer in France. The French tax authorities issue this number, also known as the “tax number” or “reference tax number” to any tax person with a tax reporting obligation. It corresponds to your unique, personal, and confidential identifier necessary for carrying out all your procedures with the Public Finances. The vast majority of member countries of the European Union identify their taxpayers using a unique reference number. On the other hand, there is no European tax number, each Member State being free to determine its policy in terms of tax referencing.

In France, your NIF will consist of 13 digits and it must start with 0,1,2 or 3. 

Unlike individuals, companies are each given a SIREN number which serves as an identifier for carrying out all their procedures with the tax authorities. 

Your tax number is personal and confidential and it is essential to connect to your Individual Space on the taxes. gov website. You must communicate this in all your dealings with Public Finance. It will allow the tax authorities to send you your tax return; but also to send you the amount of your tax and/or to pay you certain refunds in the event of an overpayment of taxes. It is specified during each transaction and mentioned in all documents. Thanks to it, you will be able to pay your local taxes such as the housing tax, the property tax, or the public audiovisual contribution.

When you file your tax return, you have the option of deducting from your income certain fees that weighed on your budget during the year in question. To get an overview of existing tax exemption solutions, you can use our online simulation tool. In just a few clicks, he will give you advice on how to optimize your declaration and reduce your tax bill. 

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Where to find the TIN?

You can find your tax number on the following documents: 

• your pre-filled tax return, top left; 
• your tax notice on the cover page in the “My References” box;
• your council tax;
• your property tax ;
• all correspondence sent by the tax authorities. 

You can at any time, from your Private Space, request to receive your tax identification number by e-mail on the access page by clicking on the “Help” section. You will then need to enter the email address associated with your account. You will then need to enter your date of birth. Last step: copy the letters shown in the box at the bottom of the page. You will receive an SMS to the number previously verified and associated with your profile in your private space. Your tax number will be emailed to you at the registered email address. 

Your tax number is one of the identifiers to be entered each time you need to connect to your Private Space. It is strongly recommended to keep it in an easily accessible and consultable place.

How do I apply for a tax number?

To obtain your tax number, you have several options: 

• if you have a particular space online, you can directly request to receive your tax number by email as explained above;
• go to your public finance center. An agent will receive you at the counter and will check your marital status before giving you your tax number; 
• request by telephone; 
• send a request for a tax number by post addressed to the public finance center on which you depend.

Please note that for all these solutions, you will need to provide the following personal information: 

• your name and date of birth;
• your postal and electronic address;
• a copy of your identity document (identity card or passport).

Once your request has been processed, the tax authorities will send you your tax number by post or by email depending on the options selected during your request. 

What if I don’t have a tax number?

If you are a minor, a student, or have never declared your taxes before, it is quite normal that you do not have a tax number. The tax number for a student will depend on his tax connection to my parents’ household or not. As soon as he declares his income himself, he will automatically be assigned a tax number by the Public Finances. 

When you do not have any document on which the tax number of each taxpayer normally appears, you can apply for a tax number at the counter or by telephone. You also have the possibility, at the bottom of the homepage of the taxes. gov site, to click on the “Contact” tab and then select the words “You are an individual”. You will then have to click on the box stating “Your request concerns access to your private space” then “I do not have a tax number”. You will then be directed to an online form to provide information related to your marital status and allow your identification. Your tax number will then be sent to you by email at the address provided. 

Good to know: whether you are married or a civil partnership, each of the two spouses must have their tax number, even in the event of a joint declaration. 

How to obtain a tax number for your first declaration?

To know your tax number when declaring your taxes for the first time, all you have to do is create your own space using the identifiers sent by the tax authorities by mail. In this document, you will find your tax number as well as your access codes to create and connect to your private space. You will then have to fill in the amount “0” in the box “ Reference tax income ” and then enter a password. You will then have access to the electronic declaration space, to your documents as well as to secure messaging as well as to the other services available online.

If you are declaring your income online for the first time, you can use your Personal Space by filling in the information appearing on the cover page of your tax return in the “My references” box. 

What should I do if I have lost my tax number?

You can no longer get your hands on your tax number to connect to your Private Space or send a letter to Public Finances? Don’t panic, you can find your tax number at any time by logging into your Private Space. You can also access your personal space via the France Connect Service which allows access to public services such as Impôts.gov, La Poste, or even the Health Insurance, using identifiers only.  

Failing this, you must send your request by post, providing all the information relating to your marital status and the supporting documents relating to your situation, as well as a copy of your identity document.