What is the CIF? - Tax Identification Code for Companies
The CIF (Tax Identification Code) is the number that identifies legal entities and organizations in Spain. It is the equivalent of the NIF for companies, associations, foundations and other organizations. It is issued by the Tax Agency and is essential for carrying out any economic or fiscal activity.
Related tools:
- CIF Generator - Create valid CIFs for testing
- CIF Validator - Check if a CIF is valid
- CIF Calculator - Calculate the control digit
CIF Structure
The CIF consists of 9 characters:
- 1st position: Letter indicating the type of organization
- 2nd and 3rd position: Code of the province where it is registered
- 4th to 8th position: Sequential number within the province
- 9th position: Control digit or letter
Initial CIF letters
- A: Public Limited Company
- B: Limited Liability Company
- C: General Partnership
- D: Limited Partnership
- E: Community of Property Owners
- F: Cooperative
- G: Association
- H: Community of Homeowners
- J: Civil Society
- N: Foreign Entity
- P: Local Corporation
- Q: Public Body
- R: Religious Congregation
- S: Government Body
- U: Uniones Temporales de Empresas
- V: Otros tipos no definidos
- W: Establecimientos permanentes de entidades no residentes
Control digit
The last character of the CIF can be:
- A number: For legal organizations (A, B, E, H)
- A letter: For other organizations
Did you know...?
The two digits following the initial letter indicate the province where the company was registered. For example, 28 is Madrid, 08 is Barcelona, 41 is Seville, etc.
CIF Validation
To validate a CIF you must:
- Verify that the initial letter corresponds to a valid type of organization
- Check that the provincial code exists (01-52)
- Validate the control digit according to the specific algorithm
Frequently asked questions about the CIF
How can I know if a CIF is valid?
Use our online CIF validator to instantly check if a CIF is valid and get information about the company.
Can the CIF change?
The CIF is maintained throughout the life of the entity, unless its legal form changes (for example, from S.L. to S.A.).
What does each part of the CIF mean?
Use our CIF calculator to break down each component of a CIF and understand its meaning.