Check a company name.

What the registry court looks at

Four rules decide whether your name is entered in the Handelsregister, the German commercial register. Most come from the German Commercial Code (HGB). Use the check above to gauge them before you see the notary.

• § 30 HGB

  Distinct in the same town

  Your company name must be clearly distinguishable from every company in the same town. A different legal form suffix is not enough.

• § 18 Abs. 1 HGB

  Distinctive character

  The name must identify your business. Registry courts usually reject pure industry terms such as “Immobilien GmbH” (Real Estate GmbH).

• § 18 Abs. 2 HGB

  Nothing misleading

  Additions such as “Gruppe” (group), “Institut” or “International” must be true. Terms such as “Bank” or “Steuerberatung” (tax advice) need a licence.

• § 4 GmbHG

  Legal form suffix

  GmbH, UG (haftungsbeschränkt) or AG must be part of the company name. For a UG, the short form “UG” on its own is not enough (§ 5a GmbHG).

Trade marks are not part of the check: you can search them in the DPMAregister and, for the EU, at the EUIPO. Anyone who already uses a name as a trade mark or business name can have rights to it even without an entry in the Handelsregister. Want to protect your name? Apply for a German trade mark or an EU trade mark for it. The check is a non-binding preliminary check, not legal advice; we do not store what you enter permanently.