What is an LEI (Legal Entity Identifier)?

An LEI is a 20-character alphanumeric code defined by ISO 17442 that uniquely and permanently identifies a legally distinct entity participating in financial transactions. It is issued by an accredited Local Operating Unit and published in the GLEIF Global LEI Index.

How do I resolve an LEI to a company name?

Call GET /lei/{lei} with the 20-character code. Prometiam returns the registered legal name, jurisdiction, registration status, and headquarters address from the GLEIF register.

Can I find an LEI from a company name?

Yes. GET /lei/search?name= returns candidate LEIs ranked by name match. Because names are not globally unique, review the jurisdiction and address of each candidate before selecting one.

Any legal entity that trades in regulated financial markets. Regulations such as EMIR, MiFID II/MiFIR, Dodd-Frank, and SFTR require an LEI for transaction and trade reporting. Many KYB workflows also record the LEI as a durable cross-border identifier.

LEI lookup API (GLEIF) — resolve and search Legal Entity Identifiers

A guide to resolving and searching Legal Entity Identifiers (LEIs) through one REST endpoint. An LEI is a 20-character ISO 17442 code that uniquely identifies a legal entity in the global GLEIF register. Prometiam's Risk API wraps GLEIF so you can look up a known LEI or resolve a company name to candidate LEIs with a single Bearer key.

What the guide covers

What an LEI is — the ISO 17442 standard, the 20-character structure (LOU prefix, entity block, checksum), and why regulators require it.
GET /lei/{lei} — resolve a known 20-char LEI to legal name, jurisdiction, registration status, and headquarters address from the GLEIF Global LEI Index (188K+ entities).
GET /lei/search?name= — resolve a company name to candidate LEIs when you do not already have the code.
When KYB and regulatory reporting (EMIR, MiFID II, MiFIR, Dodd-Frank) need an LEI, plus copy-paste Python and JavaScript examples.

Runs on the free tier (1,000 calls/month, no credit card). The same key covers Spain, France, the UK, Ireland, Poland, and Norway, plus sanctions + US export-control screening, VIES VAT validation, and corporate-event timelines.

Frequently asked questions

What is an LEI (Legal Entity Identifier)?: An LEI is a 20-character alphanumeric code defined by ISO 17442 that uniquely and permanently identifies a legally distinct entity participating in financial transactions. It is issued by an accredited Local Operating Unit and published in the GLEIF Global LEI Index.
How do I resolve an LEI to a company name?: Call GET /lei/{lei} with the 20-character code. Prometiam returns the registered legal name, jurisdiction, registration status, and headquarters address from the GLEIF register.
Can I find an LEI from a company name?: Yes. GET /lei/search?name= returns candidate LEIs ranked by name match. Because names are not globally unique, review the jurisdiction and address of each candidate before selecting one.
Who needs an LEI?: Any legal entity that trades in regulated financial markets. Regulations such as EMIR, MiFID II/MiFIR, Dodd-Frank, and SFTR require an LEI for transaction and trade reporting. Many KYB workflows also record the LEI as a durable cross-border identifier.