If you wish to relocate your business’s principal place of business within the jurisdiction of the municipality that previously had jurisdiction, you must re-register your business. The same applies if you change the location of your principal place of business or the location of a branch office or dependent branch. The local business registration office or public order office is responsible for this.
The following are exempt from business re-registration:
- Primary production (livestock farming, crop farming, hunting, forestry, and fishing)
- Liberal professions
- Management of one’s own assets
If you change the nature of your business activities, you must also re-register your business. This is the case, for example, if you begin to offer goods or services in your business—either exclusively or in addition to your existing offerings—that are not customary for your registered business.
In addition, you must file a business re-registration if your name as a business owner or the name of the legal entity acting as a business owner changes.
The re-registration must be carried out by the following persons or their authorized representatives:
- for sole proprietorships, by the business owner themselves
- for legal entities, such as a limited liability company (GmbH) or a stock corporation (AG), by the legal representatives
- for partnerships, such as general partnerships (OHG), limited partnerships with share capital (KG), civil law partnerships (GbR), and limited liability companies and limited partnerships (GmbH & Co. KG), business registration updates must be submitted by all partners authorized to manage the business.
If you relocate your business headquarters to the jurisdiction of another municipality, you must register the business at the new location. It is not necessary to deregister at the previous location.
The following authorities will be informed of the change of business registration:
- Tax office
- Chamber of Crafts, if applicable
- Chamber of Industry and Commerce
- Local court
- Professional associations, if applicable
- Occupational safety department of the regional councils
If all the information and documents are complete, you will receive your receipt
- if you visit in person: immediately
- For written or online registration: within 3 days
Please provide us with a valid billing address to which we can send the fee notice. It is essential that you include a registration date. Otherwise, we will not be able to process your registration, and this will result in delays.
