A permanent identity layer for changing entity data.

The identifier stays stable while legal names, addresses, statuses, sources and verification evidence can evolve over time.

Core principles

Identity first. Evidence always.

GSEIN is designed as an interoperability identifier rather than a replacement for national registration numbers.

Permanent identifier

One identifier remains attached to the same resolved entity across updates.

Identity resolution

Conflicting or duplicate source records are resolved before identifier issuance.

Source provenance

Every public record retains a clear relationship to authoritative evidence.

Publication separation

Ingestion, verification and public publication remain separate decisions.

Identifier format

GSEIN-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX

The format contains a stable 16-digit identifier. The final two digits support MOD 97-10 validation so malformed identifiers can be detected before use.

Entity information layers

The model separates core entity identity from legal form, jurisdiction and registration, address and activity, external public identifiers, and verification/status information.

Verification before issuance

A record is not issued simply because it was imported. Deduplication, identity resolution and verification happen before issuance; unresolved conflicts remain outside the public registry.

Publication is a separate legal gate

A jurisdiction can be processed internally without its records becoming public. Public discovery requires an approved legal review and a source explicitly cleared for publication with licence metadata.