Business registrations, changes and deregistrations
Business registrations, changes and deregistrations
Businesses can be registered or deregistered or an existing registration can be changed. Please select the type of notification you would like to make or use our eBusiness service.
If you want to register your business comfortably online from home or from your office, you have come to the right place! You can also change an existing registration or deregister your business here.
to Electronic Application - Business registration (only in German language)
to Electronic Application - Business deregistration (only in German language)
to Electronic Application - Business changes (only in German language)
to the eBusiness service of EA-SH
If you are starting an independent business in the form of a business with a fixed address or a branch or dependent branch, you must notify the responsible office. The notification can be submitted by the person holding the business licence or by an authorised representative, i.e. manager.
A business is:
- any form of permitted work (i.e. not socially irresponsible), independent work (i.e. tasks carried out in the business owner's own name and usually for his or her own account),
- profit-oriented work and
- permanent work.
Businesses do not include:
- forbidden activities (activities that are socially irresponsible and therefore generally forbidden),
- primary agricultural production and forestry,
- independent professions, such as doctors, lawyers, tax consultants, artists, or
- managing and using one's own assets.
Who do I need to contact?
- Contact the municipality, office or city administration office ("Ordnungsamt", German regulatory authority) in the district of which the business is to be located and/or the profession or task to be carried out, or
- contact the Point of Single Contact of Schleswig-Holstein
Forms, submission of application and further information:
Which documents do I need?
- Identification card or passport and certificate of residency
For non-EU citizens:
- Residence permit
If notification is made by a third person:
- Power of substitution and copy of the identity card of the person registering the business.
For associations:
- Up-to-date extract of the trade register, cooperative register or register of associations, copy of the articles of associations.
For craft and trade businesses:
- Proof of entry in the register of craftsmen.
For trades requiring a licence:
- Licence , if already granted (e.g. licence for real estate services, licence for security services, etc.), and, if applicable,
- Extract from the commercial register,
- Clearance certificate,
- Tax clearance certificate,
- Excerpt from the debtor's files.
We recommend to contact the competent authority prior to submitting an application, as further documents might be required in individual cases.
What kind of fees are there?
Registration is subject to a fee. The fees are determined by the state regulations for administrative fees, in accordance with Tariff item 11.1.1.
Normally, the fee is €25.00 (€30.00 for communication per regular mail/ mailing of a notification of fees via regular mail).
Notes on Tariff item 11.1.1:
In case of increased administration expenses (e.g. written demand to register or deregister a business or change an existing business registration), a maximum fee of 80.00 Euro is permissible in individual cases.
If an existing business is relocated within a municipality or if the activities of a business change or are expanded, the business registration must be changed.
Who do I need to contact?
- Contact the municipality, office or city administration office ("Ordnungsamt", German regulatory authority) in the district of which the business is to be located and/or the profession or task to be carried out, or
- contact the Point of Single Contact of Schleswig-Holstein
Forms, submission of application and further information:
Which documents do I need?
- Identification card or passport and certificate of residency
For non-EU citizens:
- Residence permit
If notification is made by a third person:
- Power of substitution and copy of the identity card of the person registering the business.
For associations:
- Up-to-date extract of the trade register, cooperative register or register of associations, copy of the articles of associations.
For craft and trade businesses:
- Proof of entry in the register of craftsmen.
For trades requiring a licence:
- Licence , if already granted (e.g. licence for real estate services, licence for security services, etc.), and, if applicable,
- Extract from the commercial register,
- Clearance certificate,
- Tax clearance certificate,
- Excerpt from the debtor's files.
We recommend to contact the competent authority prior to submitting an application, as further documents might be required in individual cases.
What kind of fees are there?
Change of an existing business registration is subject to a fee. The fees are determined by the state regulations for administrative fees, in accordance with Tariff item 11.1.1.
Normally, the fee is €25.00 (€30.00 for communication per regular mail/ mailing of a notification of fees via regular mail).
Notes on Tariff item 11.1.1:
In case of increased administration expenses (e.g. written demand to register or deregister a business or change an existing business registration), a maximum fee of 80.00 Euro is permissible in individual cases.
A business is considered closed if business activities are given up completely. This includes the closing of all main offices and branches, including dependent branches. The closing of businesses with a fixed place of business must also be reported to the corresponding office.
Who do I need to contact?
- Contact the municipality, office or city administration office ("Ordnungsamt", German regulatory authority) in the district of which the business is located and/or the profession or task is carried out, or
- contact the Point of Single Contact of Schleswig-Holstein
Forms, submission of application and further information:
Which documents do I need?
- Identification card or passport and certificate of residency
If notification is made by a third person:
- Power of substitution and copy of the identity card of the person registering the business.
For associations:
- Up-to-date extract of the trade register, cooperative register or register of associations, copy of the articles of associations.
We recommend to contact the competent authority prior to submitting an application, as further documents might be required in individual cases.
What kind of fees are there?
According to the state regulations for administrative fees, Tariff item 11.1.1, a business deregistration is free of charge.
Notes on Tariff item 11.1.1:
In case of increased administration expenses (e.g. written demand to register or deregister a business or change an existing business registration), a maximum fee of 80.00 Euro is permissible in individual cases.