Apply for entry in the register of crafts that are exempt from licensing or in the register of trades similar to crafts

• You independently carry out an unlicensed craft or craft-like trade.
• Registration covers anyone who carries out entrepreneurial activity in a craft or craft-like trade that is exempt from registration. The obligation to notify and register applies to the owners, in the case of partnerships to the partners and in the case of corporations to the authorized representatives (e.g. managing director of a limited liability company) of the respective company.

The actual notification of the start of operation of an unlicensed craft or craft-like trade can be made informally. The following documents must be submitted for the registration procedure to be carried out thereafter:

Sole proprietorship:

• Copy of identity card or comparable identification document.
• Copy of business registration (can be submitted later)

Civil law companies (GbR):

• Copies of the identity cards or comparable identification documents of the partners or persons authorized to represent the company
• Copy of the partnership agreement (if not informally concluded)
• Copy of the business registration (can be submitted later)

Legally capable commercial partnerships of the general partnership (OHG), limited partnership (KG) and corresponding foreign corporate forms:

• Copies of the identity cards or comparable identification documents of the partners or persons authorized to represent the company.
• for the proof of the entrepreneurial legal form
  • for company headquarters in Germany:
    • in the case of companies registered in the Commercial Register: an extract from the register, in the case of a general partnership also a copy of the partnership agreement
    • if the company has not been entered in the register: a copy of the articles of association
  • for foreign legal forms:
    • Extract from the register of the competent foreign register in the case of companies registered in registers, otherwise- copy of the memorandum and articles of association
• Copy of business registration (can be submitted later)

Legal entities - limited liability company (GmbH), limited liability entrepreneurial company (UG), joint stock company (AG), registered cooperative society (eG):

• Copies of the identity cards or comparable identification documents of the persons authorized to represent the company
• for the proof of the entrepreneurial legal form:
  • if the company is domiciled in Germany: excerpt from the commercial register or register of cooperatives
  • for foreign legal forms: Register excerpt of the competent foreign register
• Copy of business registration (can be submitted after entry in the register of skilled crafts)

Immediately upon commencement of the trade activity

• § 18 Handwerksordnung (HwO)

08.09.2022