In which cases do you have to register your business?

By law you have to register a trade:

• as soon as a commercial activity is started
• if an already existing business is taken over
• when a business is relocated
• when a new branch office is established
• and: as soon as the business orientation changes fundamentally

So as a little note for you: You can register your business at your local „Gewerbeamt“ (the german trade office) or at your local „Ordnungsamt“ (thats the public order office). Responsible for your business is the office of the place where your company will be located. A simple Google search will point you to the right office within seconds.

If you want to know what documents you need to bring to the trade office or more about reregistering or deregistering your company, just check out the details on that in our All-in-one Guide.

As soon as you have successfully registered your company, you will receive further information by mail. Your business registration will also be automatically sent to the responsible „Finanzamt“ (the german tax office), the „Berufsgenossenschaft“ (thats the employers‘ liability insurance association) and the „IHK“ (that’s the Chamber of Industry and Commerce).

The next steps in your official formation are a visit to the commercial register, the tax office and the professional association.