The NAN Cesu code, for National Affiliation Number, is a unique identifier assigned by the CESU Reimbursement Center (CRCESU) to each service provider who accepts payments in pre-funded CESU. This number applies to both employees hired by individuals and companies and associations providing or acting as intermediaries for personal services.
Difference between Cesu identifier and NAN code: two numbers, two functions
The confusion between the online Cesu account and the NAN code often arises. The Cesu account, managed by Urssaf, now uses the email address as the login identifier. It is used to declare wages and manage social contributions between an individual employer and their employee.
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The NAN code, on the other hand, falls under the CRCESU and serves a distinct role. It is the identifier that allows the cashing of pre-funded CESU. Without this number, a provider or employee simply cannot convert their CESU vouchers into euros in their bank account.
A professional who wants to learn everything about the NAN Cesu code should remember this distinction: the Urssaf account manages the employer-employee relationship, while the NAN manages the payment chain of pre-funded vouchers.
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Format and composition of the NAN affiliation number
The NAN code appears in a recognizable format: a sequence of 1 to 7 digits, followed by an asterisk, then a final digit. For example, a NAN might look like 12345*2. This last digit after the asterisk functions as a check digit that ensures the validity of the number.
Only one NAN is assigned per provider, regardless of the number of employers or beneficiaries who pay them in pre-funded CESU. A home helper working for three different families retains the same NAN code to cash all of their vouchers.
NAN Cesu code: who is it assigned to and in what cases
The CRCESU issues a NAN to three categories of providers:
- Employees of individual employers who receive all or part of their remuneration in pre-funded CESU (housekeeping, childcare, gardening, tutoring).
- Companies and associations providing personal services that directly bill for their services and accept CESU as a payment method.
- Intermediary structures that act as intermediaries between the beneficiary and the employee while managing the administrative aspect of the employment relationship.
The NAN is not limited to cashing paper vouchers. It has also become a prerequisite for accessing billing and payment portals of certain local authorities that integrate e-CESU into their services (after-school care, leisure centers, school catering).
Steps to affiliate with CRCESU to obtain your NAN code
Registration is done directly online on the CRCESU website. The affiliation process is segmented by profile, guiding each user to the form suited to their situation.
Affiliation as an employee
An employee directly hired by an individual must first verify that their employer has indeed registered for the Cesu system with Urssaf (or CGSS for overseas departments). This employer registration is a prerequisite: it allows for the declaration of wages and the payment of social contributions.
Once this condition is met, the employee creates their affiliated account on the CRCESU website. The requested information is standard: identity, bank details for reimbursement, and supporting documents related to the activity. The NAN is assigned upon validation of the file.
Affiliation as a legal entity
Companies and associations follow a similar process, with additional documents related to their legal status. In case of a change of business name, bank details, or cessation of activity, the update of the affiliated account must be reported to the CRCESU to avoid any reimbursement blockage.
Payment blockage without NAN: what happens concretely
The absence of a NAN code does not manifest when the beneficiary hands over the CESU voucher. It becomes apparent later when the provider attempts to get reimbursed. Without a valid NAN, the reimbursement request is rejected by the CRCESU. The voucher remains pending, and the money does not reach the bank account.
This blockage particularly affects providers who start a personal services activity and accept CESU from their first services without having finalized their affiliation. The service is performed, the voucher is physically cashed, but the conversion into euros remains impossible as long as the NAN is not active.
For local authorities that offer payment via e-CESU on their portals (nurseries, leisure centers), the NAN conditions access even to the billing system. An unaffiliated provider does not appear in the list of eligible providers, preventing the beneficiary from selecting them as the payment recipient.
NAN and local authority portals: an expanded administrative use
Several municipalities have integrated CESU into their online payment platforms for services related to children and daily life. In this context, the NAN is no longer just used to cash vouchers handed over directly. It becomes the key identifier of the provider in a dematerialized payment circuit.
This evolution expands the role of the NAN beyond its initial function. For a personal service provider, having an active NAN conditions their visibility in the payment ecosystems of local authorities, not just their ability to cash traditional CESU checks.
The NAN code remains a technical identifier, but its administrative weight has grown with the dematerialization of CESU. Verifying, maintaining, and communicating it to beneficiaries is part of the management reflexes for any professional in the personal services sector.