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How does company registration work in Germany?

Unlike France and the UK, company registration in Germany is more complex and decentralized. This article provides an overview of the registration process in Germany.

In Germany, company setup costs and timelines vary widely depending on the legal form. It is ranging from low-cost, fast registrations for sole proprietorships and GbRs to higher notary fees, capital requirements, and longer processing times for UG, GmbH, and AG formations—while final registration speed depends heavily on notary availability, bank account setup, and the efficiency of local authorities.

Notes & Key Details:

  • For the GmbH: The minimum share capital is €25,000, of which at least €12,500 must be paid in before registration.

  • For the UG: Minimum capital is €1, but practical costs of establishing (notary, registration) will push the total above that.

  • Registration time depends heavily on:

    • The notary appointment availability

    • Bank account opening and deposit of share capital (for GmbH/UG)

    • The workload and efficiency of the local Commercial Register (Handelsregister) and Trade Office (Gewerbeamt).

  • The cost estimates below exclude ongoing operational costs (accounting, tax advisor, IHK membership, etc).

  • For partnerships and simple forms (Sole, GbR) the main cost is trade registration; no minimum capital required.

Legal Form Commercial register is required? Registration Office Estimated Cost (registration only) Minimum Capital Registration Time (estimate)
Sole Proprietorship (e.K.) No Tax Office €10–60 (trade registration) None Immediate – few days
General & Limited Partnership (OHG & KG) Yes Commercial Register + Trade Office ~€200–400 (notary) + €20–60 (trade) None 1–3 weeks
Entrepreneurial Company (UG) Yes Commercial Register + Trade Office Notary & registration typically €300-€800+ (plus trade registration €20-60) ≥ €1 ~1-3 weeks (assuming smooth process)
Civil-Law Partnership (GbR) No (except eGbR) Trade Office €20–50 (trade registration) None Immediate – few days
Limited Liability Company (GmbH) Yes Commercial Register + Trade Office Notary & registration typically €600-€1,000+ (often €1,000-€3,000 in real-world cases) €25,000 share capital ~2-4 weeks, can extend to 4-6 weeks
Stock Company (AG) Yes Commercial Register + Trade Office Several thousand euros (notary, regulatory, etc.) €50,000 share capital Possibly several weeks to months depending on complexity