Craftsman card: registering in the register of crafts and trades

The register of crafts and trades lists craftspeople, craft cooperatives and craft businesses. Registration gives you craftsperson status: you can work legally, invoice, and complete the next steps using your card as proof of activity.

The law treats as a craft any activity of production, creation, processing, artistic restoration, maintenance, repair or service in which manual work dominates. The exact list of activities is set out in the official list of craft activities and trades (nomenclature).

The three fields of the official list

The list published by the ministry contains 339 activities. The examples above are indicative: check the exact title of your activity in the list, or ask the CAM, before preparing your file.

Anyone who carries out an activity in the official craft list must register. There are three ways to operate:

• individual craftsperson: a natural person who carries out the activity themselves;
• craft cooperative: a non-trading company formed by craftspeople who freely join together;
• craft business: a business that employs staff and whose technical management is in the hands of a craftsperson or master craftsperson.

Conditions for an individual craftsperson

• be at least 18 years old;
• prove your professional qualification (diploma, qualification certificate or other proof accepted by the CAM);
• enjoy your civic rights;
• show ownership or rental of premises, for a permanent activity.

1. 1

   Check your activity in the official list

   Find the exact title and field (traditional and art, production, services). If in doubt, ask the CAM.

2. 2

   Gather proof of qualification

   Diploma, training certificate or qualification certificate. This is the document that most often holds files up.

3. 3

   Find the premises

   For a permanent activity, you need a title deed or lease at the business address.

4. 4

   Prepare the file

   Application, birth certificate, residence certificate, certified copy of the ID card, proof of premises, 4 photos.

5. 5

   File at the CAM and pay the fees

   At the chamber of the wilaya where your premises are. Keep the receipt and filing slip.

6. 6

   Collect the card and extract

   Check the name, activity and address. Note the card's date: the 10-day CASNOS period starts there.

7. 7

   Move on to the next steps

   CASNOS registration within 10 days, declaration of existence at the tax office (G n°8), NIS at ONS.

At the Chamber of Crafts and Trades of the wilaya

You file at the CAM of the wilaya where you work, the one for the address of your premises. It checks that your activity is in the official list, examines your qualification documents, registers you and issues the card and the register extract.

Each wilaya's Directorate of Tourism and Crafts also publishes a craftsman's guide and can advise you, in particular on the official list and support schemes.

What Neuron does

Neuron only fills in business setup forms and does not do bookkeeping or routine returns: this guide is free and all you need to do it yourself.

You register before starting the activity: registration is what gives you craftsperson status. Processing time depends on the CAM; we found no published official deadline. Allow for it in your start-up plan.

• Choosing an activity title that is not in the official list: the file comes back for correction.
• Filing without proof of professional qualification.
• Giving a premises address with no title deed or lease.
• Confusing a craft activity with buying and reselling, which falls under the trade register.
• Forgetting CASNOS registration, due within 10 days of the card's date.
• Changing activity or address without telling the CAM.