Applying for information from the central trade register

You can apply for information from the Central Trade Register online directly at the Federal Office of Justice or in writing or in person at the Senator for Economics, Ports and Transformation - Trade Registration Office, as the locally responsible authority, as part of a personal visit.

• If the applicant is a natural person, the application can only be made in person.
• If the applicant is a legal entity, the application can only be submitted by the legal representative upon presentation of the current extract from the commercial register! It is not possible for authorized representatives to apply for information from the Central Trade Register for legal entities.

If an extract from the Central Trade Register (GZR extract) is required for your own purposes, the Federal Office of Justice in Bonn will send you the GZR extract directly. If the GZR extract is required for an authority in Germany, the address of the authority and, if applicable, the responsible clerk must be provided. The Federal Office of Justice in Bonn will then send the extract directly to the authority.

Online:

• Go to the website of the Federal Office of Justice and follow the instructions.
• For the online application you need:
  
  • a new 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 ID document,
  • a digital capture device (e.g. scanner or digital camera) to upload evidence.
• The Federal Office of Justice will then send the information to your postal address or to the authority for which you have requested it.

In writing:

• Alternatively, a written application with an officially or publicly notarized signature of the applicant is permitted.
• For this purpose, an officially or notarized signature certificate of the individual or the legal representative of the legal entity is deposited with us in the original.
• Written applications must be submitted by the person whose signature is available to us. Send the informal written application to the competent authority.
• The application will be forwarded to the Federal Office of Justice, which will issue the information.
• The Federal Office of Justice will then send the information to your postal address or to the authority for which you have requested the information.

In person:

• Contact the Senator for Economics, Ports and Transformation - Trade and Industry Registration Office
• The application will be forwarded to the Federal Office of Justice, which will then issue the information.
• The Federal Office of Justice will send the information to your postal address or to the authority for which you have requested the information.

Application from abroad

• You can only submit an application from abroad online or in writing.
• In this case, download the relevant form and fill in all the necessary information on the form.
• Send the form to the authority together with all the specified attachments.
• For the online application, follow the instructions of 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