Recently, we have been receiving an increasing number of business adverts from private companies that advertise "Business application in 5 minutes", "Business registration step by step", "Business registration, we take care of your paperwork", online business registration, etc.
These companies charge a fee of up to around €25.00 per business registration. What these companies unfortunately only disclose in the small print is the information that you will have to pay a further fee of at least €36.60 for registering your business with us at the Trade Licensing Office. This fee is based on the Ordinance on Fees for Official Acts in the Business Area of the Minister for Economic Affairs, Labour and Energy. Accordingly, you will then pay double the fee for the business registration service.
You will not receive any professional and legally compliant advice from these companies on the trade and licence procedure in accordance with the Trade Regulation Act. These companies will only send your completed business registration to the Trade Licensing Office. We therefore recommend that you send your business registration directly to the municipality of Rüdersdorf bei Berlin/trade office for further processing.
Overview for a business registration
Anyone starting the independent operation of a standing business, the operation of a branch office or a dependent branch office must notify the competent authority for the location in question at the same time. Natural and legal persons are obliged to notify. A form is required for this, which you can obtain, for example, from your trade office or on the website.
Notes
- In particular, the certificate of notification does not entitle the holder to start, change, expand or relocate a business if this requires a licence or entry in the Register of Craftsmen.
- Foreigners, with the exception of EU/EEA foreigners, who wish to carry out a commercial activity in Germany in their own right require a residence permit from the relevant immigration authority, according to which they are authorised to carry out the relevant trade under immigration law.
- Failure to register a trade that has been started, as well as the re-registration and de-registration of a trade, constitutes an administrative offence.
Necessary documents
- Identity card, passport, power of attorney if applicable and confirmation of registration if applicable
- Notarised copy of the current extract from the register for legal entities (e.g. commercial register, register of cooperatives or register of associations)
- Copy of the notarised incorporation agreement and a power of attorney from the founders to register the start of the business before the company is entered in the commercial register, e.g. in the case of a "GmbH i.G." (limited liability company)
- Rental agreement for the business premises
The administrative fee is charged in accordance with the Ordinance on Fees for Official Acts in the Business Area of the Minister for Economic Affairs, Labour and Energy (MWAEGebO) and is payable upon completion of the official act for which a fee is charged.
Please make an appointment for your business registration by calling 033638 / 85-450 or sending an e-mail to gewerbeamt@ruedersdorf.de. When you make the appointment, we can clarify what additional documents you may need to bring with you.