Our employees only speak German in the office and on the phone.

Register a business

  • Unternehmensstart und Gewerbezulassung

If you start a business, you must register it with the competent authority. The registration must be made at the same time as the start of the business.

  • Basic information

    A business registration with the relevant trade registration office is always necessary if you start a permanent business. A permanent business is a business with a fixed place of business from or in which the business is carried out. This is the case if you:

    • set up a new business,
    • establish a new branch office,
    • establish a dependent branch office,
    • take over an existing business, for example by purchase or lease,
    • convert a sole proprietorship into a corporation (GmbH, UG and AG),
    • relocate a business from the area of a public authority to the area of the municipality

    You must register your business at the same time as you start operating it. The obligation to register only applies if it is a commercial activity.

    The following are exempt from business registration

    • Primary production (livestock farming, agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing)
    • Liberal professions
    • Management of own assets

    Find out at an early stage what personal, financial and professional requirements you need to fulfill in order to be able to work in these business areas.
    The purpose of registering a trade is to enable the competent authorities to monitor the exercise of the trade and to carry out statistical surveys.

    Requirements

    You want to run a business.

    • Traders are:
      • natural persons or
      • legal entities, for example
      • Public limited company (AG),
      • limited liability company (GmbH),
      • registered cooperative (eG)
      • registered association (e.V.), partnership limited by shares (KG)

    The following are subject to notification

    • for sole traders
      • the sole trader,
    • in the case of partnerships (e.g. OHG, GbR)
      • each personally liable partner and shareholder
    • in the case of a limited partnership (KG)
      • each personally liable partner, the limited partners of a KG only if they have management authority
    • in the case of corporations (e.g. GmbH, AG)
      • the legal representative(s).

  • Procedure

    You can register your business online, in writing or in person. Please only use one of these options.
    Please note that in the case of partnerships, a separate business registration is required for each personally liable partner.

    Online

    • Use the "eMeldung" online service.
    • The online service guides you through the application step by step.
    • At the end, you will be shown a summary of your data.
    • After you have sent the application, you will receive confirmation of the business registration by post.
      • This also contains a request for payment for the business registration.

    In writing

    • Complete the "Business registration" form.
    • Send the form with the required documents by post to the relevant office.
    • You will receive confirmation of your business registration by post.
      • This will also contain a request for payment for the business registration.

    In person

    • You must make an appointment to register in person on site.
    • Bring all the necessary documents with you to the appointment.
    • You will receive confirmation of your business registration immediately afterwards.

    The responsible office will forward the business registration to other offices, such as the tax office, the employers' liability insurance association, the Chamber of Crafts, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce and, if applicable, the registry court.

    More information

    • You can also register your business via the "Single Point of Contact of the State of Bremen". You can find the link under "Further information".
    • If you change your legal form to a corporation, you must submit both a business deregistration (to cease operating under the old legal form) and a business registration (to start operating under the new legal form).
    • If you change your legal form to a partnership, you must submit a business re-registration.

  • Necessary Documents
    • completed business registration form

      Not necessary for an appointment on site.

    • Identity card or passport (of the trader) and, if applicable, eAT (electronic residence permit)

      A copy is sufficient for written notification

    • any necessary permits

      For example, restaurant license

    • if applicable, craft card from the Bremen Chamber of Crafts
      • When registering a trade requiring a license (Annex A to the HwO) or a trade not requiring a license (Annex B1 to the HwO)
      • If applicable, trade card when registering a trade similar to a craft (Annex B2 to the HwO)
    • For representation with written power of attorney
      • Authorized person must be able to identify themselves with an identity card or passport.
      • An identification document (at least a copy) of the person who issued the power of attorney must be brought along.
    • Commercial register excerpt

      or notarized articles of association

    • Supplement authorized representatives

  • Competent Department

  • Online Services

    • Founding Assistant
      Just a few simple questions and gründung:digital will find exactly the applications you need for your start-up project. You fill out these applications online via gründung:digital and send them directly to the relevant authorities.

    • eNews
      eMeldung offers you the possibility to submit your applications to the Bremen Trade Registration Office online. Possible are trade registrations, simple trade information and extended trade information.

  • Forms

  • Fees / Costs

    38,00 EUR

  • Deadlines & processing time

    What deadlines must be paid attention to?

    You must register your business as soon as you start operating. A fine may be imposed for late registration.

    How long does it take to process

    If you have completed the form correctly and your documents are complete, the authorities will immediately confirm receipt of your deregistration when you appear in person.
    3 days for the confirmation of receipt (in the case of written notification by post).

  • Legal Bases

  • More Information

Feedback on quality

Your feedback will help us to identify and solve problems. You will not receive a personal response. Please do not submit any personal data.

Did you find what you were looking for?
How do you rate this page?*
*Mandatory field

This page has been automatically translated by DeepL. We cannot guarantee that the translation is correct.

The official information in German is complete and correct. 16.01.2026

Dienstleistungen · syfq nzm