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Register your trade.
Register your trade entirely online, without a trip to the authorities. At a fixed price, all official fees included.
- Entirely online, around the clock
- €79.95 including all official fees
- For every trade office and every legal form
Your trade office issues the trade licence (Gewerbeschein). Trades that require a licence also need a permit.
One fixed price for your trade registration
Online trade registration
For sole proprietorships, side businesses, UG and GmbH.
€79.95incl. official fees
- Online entry of your business details
- Submission to the responsible trade office with proof of delivery
- All official fees included
- Trade licence by post from the office
What you should know about trade registration
- § 14 GewO
Required from the start
If you start a trade, you register it with the trade office at the same time, also as a side business.
- § 15 GewO
The trade licence
The trade office confirms the registration within three days. This certificate is your trade licence.
- Liberal professions
Freelancers don't need one
Doctors, architects or journalists working in a liberal profession only register with the tax office.
- Legal forms
For every legal form
Sole proprietorship, GbR, UG or GmbH: every commercial activity is registered, corporations usually after registration in the Handelsregister.
- §§ 30 ff. GewO
Trades that require a licence
Brokers, restaurants or security services also need a licence before they start.
- Notifications
What happens next
The trade office informs the tax office, the IHK or the Handwerkskammer and the Berufsgenossenschaft (employers' liability insurance).
How to register your trade
- 1
Enter your business details
You enter your details online. If you have questions beforehand, book a free initial call above.
- 2
Submission
The registration goes to your responsible trade office with proof of delivery.
- 3
Trade licence
The office issues the trade licence and sends it to you by post.
- 4
Tax office
After that, you register with the tax office using the tax registration questionnaire.
Apply for a tax number
Integrations
Export and filing
As seen in
Official
Qonto
Partner
The partner founders trust
Company formation, registrations and ongoing bookkeeping in one place. Anything that requires a licence is handled by notaries and tax advisors from our partner network.
What founders say
“I set up my GmbH in a single afternoon. All the formation documents were prepared smoothly, and the commercial register application went out the next day.”
What you can rely on
ELSTER
VAT returns and annual accounts go straight to the tax office via the ELSTER interface.
DATEV
Bookings and receipts are ready in DATEV format – your tax firm keeps working as usual.
- 4.6
Top-rated
4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot. Rated by founders who have actually used firma.de.
Made in Germany
Developed in Germany, servers in the EU, GDPR-compliant. Anything that requires a licence comes from tax advisors and notaries.
Frequently asked questions about trade registration
Who has to register a trade?
Anyone who works independently, on an ongoing basis and with the aim of making a profit. Liberal professions (freie Berufe), agriculture and forestry are exempt.
When do I have to register my trade?
At the same time as you start your business activity, not only with your first sale.
How much does trade registration cost?
€79.95 including all official fees. If you register with the municipality yourself, the fees depend on the location.
What do I need for the registration?
Your personal details, the business address, a description of the activity and the start date. For a UG or GmbH, the Handelsregister extract; for trades that require a licence, the licence.
Do I get a trade licence (Gewerbeschein)?
Yes. The trade office issues it and sends it to you by post.
Do I have to register a side business?
Yes. A trade alongside your job or your studies also has to be registered.
What happens after registration?
The trade office informs the tax office, the IHK or the Handwerkskammer (chamber of crafts), among others. You still send the tax registration questionnaire to the tax office yourself.