An LEI code tells you very little on its own. The first four characters identify the LEI Issuer that first issued it, and the last two are check digits. The name, address, status, renewal date and ownership of the entity are held in the LEI record published in the Global LEI Index, which RapidLEI LEI Search displays.
The 20 characters in an LEI Number
1-4 Entity-specific
5-18 Check
19-20
Example: 529900T8BM49AURSDO55 (Ubisecure Oy, operating as RapidLEI)
| Characters | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1-4 | Issuer prefix, which identifies the LEI Issuer that first issued the code and keeps codes from different issuers unique |
| 5-18 | Entity-specific part: a unique alphanumeric code assigned by the issuer, with no embedded meaning |
| 19-20 | Check digits. They use ISO/IEC 7064 (MOD 97-10) and catch typing errors |
Many older LEIs show 00 in positions 5-6. The original ROC rules reserved these two characters as zero. They carry no meaning.
The prefix shows who first issued the LEI, not who manages it today. An LEI keeps its code when it moves to another issuer. To find the current issuer of an LEI, check the LEI Issuer field on the record in LEI Search.
What the code does not tell you: country, legal form, whether the entity is active, whether the LEI is current, or who owns the entity.
What an LEI Search record shows
Every record in LEI Search uses the labels below. Search by company name, LEI, ISIN or BIC, then open a result to see the full record.
Status
| Label | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Entity status | Whether the organisation itself exists. Values: Active, Inactive, or not reported. “Not reported” is common for funds. |
| LEI status | Whether the LEI is current. Values: Issued, Lapsed, Pending transfer, Pending archival, Retired, Merged, Duplicate, Annulled. |
| Policy conformity | GLEIF’s check that the LEI is current and its Level 2 data is complete. What the flag means |
| Reference data / Corroboration level | How far the data was checked against a public source. Values: fully corroborated, partially corroborated, or entity supplied only. |
| Next renewal | The date the data must be revalidated. If it passes without renewal, the LEI status becomes Lapsed. |
| LEI Issuer | The accredited issuer that maintains the record now. |
Entity status and LEI status are independent. An entity can be Active with a Lapsed LEI: the organisation exists, but nobody has renewed its LEI.
Level 1: who is who
| Label | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Legal name | The name as held by the registry |
| Legal form | The legal form, with its ISO 20275 ELF code |
| Trading name, Previously | Other names on record, including former legal names |
| Jurisdiction | Where the entity is legally formed |
| Registration | The registry (RA code) and the entity’s registration number there |
| Entity created | The date the organisation was formed |
| Legal address / Headquarters address | Shown separately when they differ |
| Connected identifiers | Other identifiers mapped to the LEI, such as OpenCorporates |
| Securities | ISINs mapped to the LEI in the ANNA and GLEIF ISIN-to-LEI file |
| Initial registration | The date the LEI was first issued |
| Last updated at GLEIF | The last change to the published record |
Two date pairs people confuse
- Entity created is when the organisation was formed. Initial registration is when it got its LEI.
- Next renewal is when the LEI must be renewed. It is not an expiry date for the organisation.
Level 2: who owns whom
- Direct and ultimate parent: the entities that consolidate this one in their accounts.
- Reporting exception: the reason no parent is reported, for example ownership by natural persons or a parent that does not consolidate. An exception is a valid answer.
- Subsidiaries: entities that report this one as their parent.
More detail: What is Level 1 and Level 2 legal entity data?
Other sections of the record
- Fund structure. Shown for funds: fund manager, umbrella fund and sub-funds. GLEIF records these separately from ownership.
- Changes to this record. Dated history from GLEIF, including renewals, status changes, address changes and name changes.
- Where this data comes from. The source registry, what the data was validated against, the issuer that maintains it, and when it was last published to the Global LEI Index.
In the search results list
Each result in LEI Search shows a short version of the record: legal name, country, LEI, status, and next renewal date with days remaining. Select a result to open the full record.
FAQs
Can you tell a company’s country from its LEI?
No. The code has no country element. Use “Jurisdiction” on the record.
Does an LEI expire?
No. If it is not renewed by the next renewal date, its status becomes Lapsed. It can be renewed and returns to Issued with the same code.
Does the LEI code change if I switch issuer?
No. The code stays the same; only “LEI Issuer” on the record changes. See how to transfer an LEI.
What does Duplicate or Annulled mean?
The LEI is not a valid identifier for the entity. A duplicate record points to the valid LEI.
Add your LEI to your website
Search engines use the LEI to tell organisations apart. Google recommends it in Organization markup as iso6523Code with the prefix 0199:. How to add your LEI to your website’s structured data
Look up any LEI in LEI Search. It is free, needs no account, and shows data from the GLEIF Global LEI Index.