Applying for information from the central trade register

You can request information from the Central Trade Register online directly from the Federal Office of Justice, or in writing or in person at the Office of Business Registration under the Senator for Economic Affairs, Ports, and Transformation—which serves as the locally competent authority—during a personal visit. No appointments are offered for information from the Central Trade Register. Applicants can simply drop by during business hours. 

• If the applicant is a natural person, the request can only be made in person.
• If the applicant is a legal entity, the application may only be submitted by a legal representative upon presentation of a current extract from the Commercial Register! Authorized signatories may not submit an application for information from the Central Trade Register on behalf of legal entities.

If an extract from the Central Trade Register (GZR extract) is needed for personal purposes, the Federal Office of Justice in Bonn will send the GZR extract directly. If the GZR extract is required for a government agency within Germany, please provide the agency’s address and, if applicable, the name of the responsible case officer. The Federal Office of Justice in Bonn will then send the extract directly to the agency.

Online:

• Go to the Federal Office of Justice’s website and follow the instructions.
• For the online application, you will need:
  
  • a new national ID card, an eID card, or an electronic residence permit—each with the online ID function activated—as well as the AusweisApp2
  • a card reader to read the identification document,
  • a digital capture device (such as a scanner or digital camera) to upload supporting documents.
• The Federal Office of Justice will then send the information to your mailing address or to the government agency on whose behalf you requested it.

In writing:

• Alternatively, a written application with an officially or notarized signature of the applicant is permitted.
• To do so, an original officially or notarized certificate of signature from the individual or the legal representative of the legal entity must be submitted to us.
• Written applications must be submitted by the person whose signature we have on file. Send the informal written application to the competent authority.
• The request will be forwarded to the Federal Office of Justice, which will prepare the information.
• The Federal Office of Justice will then send the information to your mailing address or to the authority on whose behalf you requested it.

In person:

• Contact the Senator for Economic Affairs, Ports, and Transformation—Business Registration Office
• The request will be forwarded to the Federal Office of Justice, which will then prepare the information.
• The Federal Office of Justice will send the information to your mailing address or to the authority on whose behalf you requested it.

Application from Abroad 

• You can submit a request from abroad only online or in writing.
• In this case, download the appropriate form and fill in all the necessary information on the form.
• Send the form, along with all the required attachments, to the relevant authority. 
• For online applications, follow the instructions provided by the online service.

More information

You cannot be represented by an authorized representative. However, your legal representative is also entitled to submit an application. If you are acting as a legal representative yourself, you must provide proof of your power of representation. A commercial enterprise can also be represented by the authorized person of the commercial enterprise entered in the commercial or cooperative register.

The central trade register does not contain the data of all tradespeople in Germany. This can be found in the trade register, which contains information on the business owner such as name, date of birth and address as well as on the business such as management, addresses and registered activity.
Objections to information from the central trade register and other applications that are to be rejected in the form of a judicial administrative act by means of a decision can be challenged with an application for a court decision.

• Intended use
  
  • Address of the authority for which the extract is intended, if applicable
• For natural persons applying in person:
  
  • Identity card or passport, additional proof of citizenship if necessary,
  • for non-German nationals (passport and residence permit if applicable)
• General: Application for information from the central trade register
• For natural persons upon written application:
  
  • Copy of identity card or passport with officially certified personal data and officially certified signature
• For natural persons with electronic application:
  
  • Identity card, eID card or electronic residence permit, each with activated online ID function,
  • Address of the authority for which the information is intended,
  • as well as the intended use or the reference number.
• For legal entities when applying in person:
  
  • valid identity card or passport of the legal representative or the authorized person of the business enterprise entered in the commercial or cooperative register
    
    • Please note that you must also submit a current registration certificate when presenting your passport.
• For legal entities with electronic application:
  
  • Identity card, eID card or electronic residence permit, each with activated online ID function,
  • Extract from the commercial register,
  • Address of the authority for which the information is intended, as well as the intended use or the reference number.
• For natural persons abroad:
  
  • Application form Application for information from the central trade register of a private individual
    residing outside the Federal Republic of Germany
  • If applicable, separate proof with officially certified personal data and officially certified signature
  • Copy of proof of payment of the fee of 13 euros.
• For legal entities abroad:
  
  • Application form Application for information from the central trade register of a company based outside the Federal Republic of Germany
  • with officially certified personal data and officially certified signature of the legal representative or the authorized person of the business enterprise entered in the commercial or cooperative register
  • Extract from the commercial register
  • Copy of proof of payment of the fee of 13 euros.

• Application for information from the central trade register
  

• Application for information from the central trade register of a private individual residing outside the Federal Republic of Germany (pdf, 100.8 KB)
  

• Application for information from the central trade register of a company based outside the Federal Republic of Germany (pdf, 110.9 KB)
  

13,00 EUR

What deadlines must be paid attention to?

There is no deadline.

How long does it take to process

4 weeks

• §§ 150 ff. Gewerbeordnung (GewO)
• Justizverwaltungskostengesetz – JVKostG

• Personalausweisportal des Bundesministeriums des Innern, für Bau und Heimat (BMI)
• Informationen zur AusweisApp
• Elektronischer Aufenthaltstitel auf der Website des Bundesamtes für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF)
• Weitere Informationen zur Auskunft aus dem Gewerbezentralregister auf der Internetseite des Bundesamts für Justiz