Requesting an excerpt from the Central Trade Register
Content:
Past breaches of commercial law regulations, such as:
- Rejection of a trade licence application, trade prohibitions, withdrawal of permits, concessions
- Foregoing licensing for a trade
- Imposition of fines in excess of 200 EUR in connection with the performance of a trade and
- certain criminal rulings associated with the trade activities
Purpose:
Proof of your personal suitability for:
- a trade which requires a permit, for example as a pub landlord, broker or
- a trade which is subject to supervision, for example dealing in used vehicles or bicycles or a travel agency.
Note: The CENTRAL commercial REGISTER does not contain data relating to all the entrepreneurs in Germany. In a commercial REGISTER excerpt, you can find information concerning:
- the business owner, e.g. name, date of birth and address, and
- about the company, e.g. management, addresses and registered activities.
Forms/Online Services
Responsible authority
If you apply orally or in writing: the municipal council (Gemeindeverwaltung) or city council (Stadtverwaltung) in which your business headquarters are located
If you apply electronically: the Federal Office of Justice (Bundesamt für Justiz)
Contact
Details
Prerequisite
You wish to engage in a trade for which a licence is required.
Procedure
Should you wish to apply for the information:
- For the online information, you require:
- a new personal ID document or residency title, both with the electronic ID function activated, as well as the AusweisApp2,
- a card reader to read your ID document and
- a digital recording device (for example scanner or digital camera) in order to upload the proof.
- Visit the website of the Federal Office of Justice and follow the instructions.
- The Federal Office of Justice sends the information to your postal address or to the authority for which you have submitted the request.
Should you wish to apply for the information personally:
- Please contact your competent authority.
- The application is then forwarded on to the Federal Office of Justice in Bonn, which issues the information.
- The Federal Office of Justice sends the information to your postal address or to the authority for which you have submitted the request.
If you wish to apply in writing, you will need:
- an informal written application
- Please send the application to the competent authority. Your signature must be officially or publicly certified.
- The application is then forwarded on to the Federal Office of Justice in Bonn, which issues the information.
- The Federal Office of Justice sends the information to your postal address or to the authority for which you have submitted the request.
- Note: You may not have an agent represent you. Only your legal representative in entitled to submit the application. If you are acting as a legal representative, you must provide evidence of your power of attorney.
Required documents
For natural persons
- if applying in person: personal ID card or passport
- if applying in writing: copy of personal ID card or passport
- if applying electronically: personal ID card or electronic residence permit, each with activated online ID function.
- in case of foreign citizens: additional proof of citizenship, officially certified personal data and signature
- if applicable, a signature of the authority for which the information is intended, as well as the purpose of use of the file reference number.
For legal persons:
- valid personal ID document or passport of the legal representative of the company (in case the passport is presented: also current proof of registration)
- excerpt from the commercial register
- if applicable, a signature of the authority for which the information is intended, as well as the purpose of use of the file reference number.
Costs
13.00 EUR
Processing time
2 to 4 weeks
Legal basis
- § 150 Auskunft auf Antrag der betroffenen Person
- § 150a Auskunft an Behörden oder öffentliche Auftraggeber
- 150e Elektronische Antragstellung
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Bundesamt für Justiz, 11.11.2024