A change of registration of a trade or business may become necessary if you
- relocate the registered place of business of your trade or business within the community;
- if you change the object of your trade or business; or
- if you extend the object of your trade or business to goods or services which are not in line with the normal business practices of the trade or business enterprise types registered.
Although certain trades or businesses do not require an official authorization, they are subject to supervision of their activities by the public authorities (the so-called trade or businesses requiring official authorization acc. to. § 38 of the German Trade, Commerce and Industry Regulation Act - GewO). This applies notably to the following branches of trade or industry:
- Purchase and sale by trades or businesses specialized in the second-hand goods trade;
- Provision and reporting of information on financial circumstances or personal matters (credit agencies, detective or investigative agencies;
- Brokering of marriages, partnerships, and acquaintanceships;
- Operation of travel agencies and brokering of accommodations;
- Sale and installation of building security installations including lock-and-key services; and
- Manufacture and selling of special theft-related opening tools.
Each change of registration of a trade or business must be made in writing, using the standard form provided. Receipt of the registration of a trade or business will be acknowledged by the competent public authority.
Every change of registration of a trade or business will also be notified to other authorities (e.g. the Internal Revenue Service, Chamber of Crafts and Skilled Trades, or Chamber of Industry and Commerce).
If you select a location under "Localization" the contact details of the responsible authority and, if applicable, locally valid information will be displayed.