Changing the address of a business
It could be necessary to register the change in address of the business for the following reasons:
- You relocate the registered office of your company within the municipality or town. In this case, you also have to register the change in address of the business if you move the location of a dependent subsidiary.
- You change the purpose of your business.
- You would like to extend the purpose of your business to include goods or services, which are not customary for the type of business registered.
Even if you perform an activity which does not need an itinerant trade licence (reisegewerbekartenfreie Tätigkeiten) or carry out an itinerant trade (Reisegewerbe), you have to register the change in address of your business if you change the purpose of your business or would like to extend it to include other goods or services.
Please note: If you want to relocate your business into another municipality or town, it is not sufficient to register the change in address of your business. In this case, you first of all have to deregister your business at the old location and then register it again at the new location.
In the case of retail trade, it is the duty of the sole traders to notify the registration of the change in address of the business, in the case of partnerships (e.g. OHG, KG, BGB-Gesellschaft) the duty of all partners with managing authority and in the case of corporations (e.g. GmbH, AG) the duty of the legal representative.
Responsible department
the municipal administration/city council of the premises
Details
Prerequisite
You want to
- move your place of business to a different district or city,
- change the location of a non-freelance business,
- change the purpose of your business or
- change the purpose of your business to goods or services which are not usual for businesses of the type which has been registered.
Procedure
Changes in the address of your business must be registered in writing or electronically.
A simple email does not suffice. The new registration can also be carried out via the standard network contact person.
If you change the address of your business in writing, please use the form "Gewerbe-Ummeldung" (Change of Business Address). It is available at your municipal offices or, depending on your municipality, is offered as a download.
If you submit the notification in writing, you must sign the form.
If you or your legal representative do not change the address of your business in person, the person authorised to do so must be given written power of attorney.
If you register the change in your business address in writing or electronically, you will be sent confirmation of this transaction and a bill of charges within three days. If you register the change in business address in person, the confirmation will be handed to you straight away.
The authority responsible for the registration of the change in address forwards the notification of the changed registration to other offices such as the tax authorities, the Chamber of Crafts and Trades (Handwerkskammer), the Registration Court and the Employer's Liability Insurance Association (Berufsgenossenschaft).
Note: If a license is required and it is not available, then the responsible authority can prohibit the continuation of the business.
Deadlines
You must report any change in the address of your business at the time the business is relocated, the address is changed or the purpose of the business is expanded.
Required documents
completed application form
Costs
The amount charged is based on the local regulations governing the fees.
Release note
The German original version of this text was drafted in close cooperation with the relevant departments. The Wirtschaftsministerium released it on 06.08.2019. Only the German text is legally binding. The Federal State does not assume any liability for the translated texts.
In cases of doubt or if you have any questions or problems, please contact the relevant authorities directly.