Apply for a license as a real estate agent, loan broker, property developer, building supervisor or residential property manager

You can submit an application for a license in accordance with Section 34 of the German Trade Regulation Act (GewO) in writing or online.

Online application

• If you want to submit the application online, use the link to the online service.
• As a citizen, you must register via BundID. As a sole trader or organization, you can log in to the WSP account using "My company account". Use your personal ELSTER certificate or the organization certificate for this.
• The online service guides you step by step through the application process.

Written application:

• Use the forms under "Forms".
• Send the completed and signed form together with the required documents to the relevant office.
• Once you have submitted your written application for a license in accordance with Section 34c GewO, your reliability under trade law will be checked on the basis of the information you have provided, the documents you have submitted and other official inquiries.

The above-mentioned activities requiring a permit may not be commenced before the permit has been issued. Operating without the required permit constitutes an administrative offense that can be punished with a fine of up to €5,000.00.

More information

Tradesmen who wish to carry out property development or construction management activities on a commercial basis are also obliged under Section 16 of the German Real Estate Agents and Property Developers Ordinance (MaBV) to have compliance with the obligations arising from Sections 2-14 of the MaBV audited annually by a suitable auditor at their own expense and to submit the audit report to the competent authority by 31.12. of the following year at the latest. Audit reports must be submitted for the entire period of commercial activity! If no activities subject to inspection in the above sense have been carried out, a so-called "negative declaration" must be submitted to the competent authority.

Furthermore, according to § 34c para. 2a GewO in conjunction with § 15b MaBV, a further training obligation applies to the activities of real estate brokerage and residential property management.

Tradesmen are obliged to undergo 20 hours of further training within a period of three calendar years; the same applies accordingly to persons employed directly in the activity requiring a license.

Important notice:

In the case of legal entities, the documents listed under Nos. 4 - 7 must be submitted both for the legal entity (e.g. GmbH, AG) and for the persons authorized to represent it by law, the articles of association or the partnership agreement (e.g. managing director, board of directors). In addition, an extract from the Commercial Register must be submitted in the case of legal entities and commercial partnerships. Legal entities must be the policyholder of the professional liability insurance under No. 8. The name of the legal entity in the permit procedure must be the same as the name of the policyholder of the professional liability insurance.

• Completed application form
• Valid identity card/passport
• Certificate of good conduct in document type OG (for submission to an authority)
  

  (to be applied for at the local registration office responsible for your residence)

• Information from the central trade register in document type 9
  

  This can be applied for via the trade registration office. The Senator for Economics, Ports and Transformation -Commercial Affairs-, Katharinenklosterhof 3, 28195 Bremen should be specified as the recipient when applying.

  If a legal entity is planned as the operator, information for this legal entity and the entire management is required.

• Certificate in tax matters of the tax office
  

  (to be applied for at the tax office of the place of residence)

• Extract from the list of debtors of the enforcement court
  

  The debtors' register can only be inspected online at www.vollstreckungsportal.de. Registration is necessary here. You will then receive a PIN by post, which you can use to start your search. The result of your query must be printed out and enclosed with your application.

• Information from the insolvency court as to whether proceedings have been opened
  

  (to be applied for at the district court of the place of residence)

• Professional liability insurance confirmation
  

  For the activity in residential property management, a professional liability insurance confirmation is additionally required. Further information on the scope of insurance can be found in § 15 MaBV.

• Extract from the commercial register
  

  if the applicant is a legal person

• Online application
  

• Application for a permit according to § 34c Gewerbeordnung (GewO) (legal entity) (pdf, 1.3 MB)
  

• Application for a permit according to § 34c Gewerbeordnung (GewO) (natural person) (pdf, 1.1 MB)
  

294,00 EUR bis 1.001,00 EUR

What deadlines must be paid attention to?

Not specified.

How long does it take to process

Not specified.

• § 34c der Gewerbeordnung (GewO)
• Makler- und Bauträgerverordnung
• Kostenverordnung der Wirtschaftsverwaltung (WKostV)