LEI identifier is a commonly used name for the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI), the 20-character code that uniquely identifies a legal entity taking part in financial transactions. The phrase repeats itself, since the "I" in LEI already stands for identifier, but it is widely used in forms, vendor data fields and search queries. The main entry covers the code's structure, issuance and governance in full.
The code is defined by an ISO standard and issued by accredited local operating units under the oversight of a global foundation. Each record carries the entity's official name, registered address and registration details, and, where reported, its direct and ultimate parents, which supports an issuer corporate hierarchy. Registration must be renewed periodically to keep the record current.
An LEI identifies an entity, not a security or an account. In issuer reference data it sits beside instrument codes such as the ISIN, and the two can be linked. Regulations in the European Union, the United States and elsewhere require it in derivatives and securities reporting, including transaction reporting, where firms may not trade for a client that is required to have an LEI and lacks one.