What is an LEI database?
Legal Entity Identifiers have become a standard that entities use to verify business partners on the international market. Every company registering for LEI has to attach its details, including its location, ownership, email address, and many more, to prove that it is an existing legal entity. This information is then stored in the GLEIF database.
The LEI database, also known as the Global LEI Index, is a global database of Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) records.
LEI registration and capturing all required entity information is done by Local Operating Units (LOUs) and LEI registration agents. After authenticating an entity and confirming its registration, all its data is channeled to the GLEI database. It is the responsibility of the GLEIF to ensure the safety of this data and make sure users are able to access it easily.
With over 1.8 million entities with LEI numbers, the only reliable way to search for an LEI number on GLEIF’s website is by using the search functionality. The Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation also has an API that other websites and applications can integrate into their systems to seamlessly extract LEI data from its database.
We provide a convenient way of searching and verifying LEI numbers through our Search LEI service.
Information on the LEI database
While registering for LEI, an entity has to share a couple of details about its business. This information is stored in the LEI database and can be accessed by anyone who wants to know more about a given entity. The data captured for each entity includes the following;
- LEI number: An unique Legal Entity Identifier. This number is unique for every entity in the LEI database
- LEI status: LEI status will inform if the current information in the record is up to date and valid. Any LEI record with LAPSED status is an information to that company has not renewed their LEI and their record is not up to date. Entities with LEI registrations up to date will have their status marked as ISSUED
- Registered and trading names: The actual names of your business registered with the local authorities in your country
- Legal and Headquarters addresses of the entity
- Parent company information: Any entity that has a parent company, information about the parent will be availalbe in the database
- Child company information: Similalry to parent company information, LEI records will show any child companies of currently viewed entity
- Company type: Indication of entity type, examples: LLC, Trust, Fund, Charity
LEI database and GLEIF search tools are crucial in availing LEI information about the various entities to whoever needs it, with information about it's status and relationsions of the entities.