Register business
service description
If you want to relocate your company's headquarters within the area of responsibility of the municipality that was previously responsible, you must re-register your business. The same applies if you change the location of your company's headquarters or the location of a branch or dependent branch. The local trade or regulatory office is responsible.
Exempt from a business re-registration are:
- Primary production (cattle breeding, agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing)
- Freelance professions
- Management of own assets
If you change your business activity, you must also re-register your business. This is the case, for example, if you exclusively or additionally offer goods or services in your shop that are not customary in relation to your registered business.
In addition, you must re-register your business if your name as a trader or the name of the legal entity as a trader changes.
If there is a change in business activity, a change of registration is required not only in the permanent business but also in the traveling business.
The re-registration must be carried out by the following persons or their authorized representatives:
- in the case of individual trades by the trader himself,
- in the case of legal entities, for example limited liability companies (GmbH), stock corporations (AG) by the legal representatives
In the case of partnerships, for example general partnerships (OHG), partnerships limited by shares (KG), partnerships under civil law (GbR), limited liability companies & limited partnerships (GmbH & Co. KG), all partners authorized to manage the company must re-register their business.
If you move your business to the jurisdiction of another municipality, you must first deregister the business at the previous location and then re-register it at the new location. This is not a change of registration.
procedure
You can re-register your business in person, online, by post or fax.
- If the change of registration is made in person or in writing, you must fill out the "Business Change of Registration" form (GewA 2) and sign it personally.
- The "GewA 2" form is available at the office responsible for the change of registration or, depending on the offer, is also available for download.
- The responsible authority will confirm receipt of the business registration if the registration form has been completely filled out
- The responsible authority forwards the business registration change to other authorities, such as the tax office, the professional association, the Chamber of Crafts, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce and, if necessary, the registry court.
- The procedure can be handled via a single contact person. You have a legal right to electronic processing.
requirements
- You relocate your place of business, a branch or a dependent branch within the jurisdiction of a municipality, or
- You change or expand the goods and services offered, so that the character of your business changes
- The name of the trader changes
What documents are required?
- Completed form for business registration
- Proof of identity (e.g. identity card, passport or registration certificate)
- Copy of the commercial register extract if your company is registered in the commercial register (also: cooperative register, association register, foundation register)
What fees apply?
The costs are based on the respective administrative fee schedule of the state as well as the fee statutes of the bodies responsible under state law.
What deadlines do I need to consider?
You are obliged to re-register your business at the time of the relocation or change. If you change or expand the commercial object, you must also re-register at this point.
processing time
- In the event of a personal appointment: immediately
- If you re-register in writing or electronically, you will receive confirmation of receipt of your re-registration within 3 days, provided that the re-registration form has been filled out completely and correctly and the required documents are available.
legal basis