German Chambers of Commerce and Business Registers

The place where you start a business in Germany determines in which registers you must register your business. Do you carry out craft work and also sell products? If so, you may need to register with both the HWK and  the IHK. 

When does each register apply?

Your activities determine which organisation and which register your business belongs to. 

• Municipalities manage the Gewerberegister for all businesses in Germany.
• The competent national courts manage the German Business Register for all companies, sole proprietorships, and partnerships.
• The Handwerkskammer (HWK)  is for skilled trades.
• The Industrie- und Handelskammer (IHK) is for trade and industry.

Members of the so-called liberal professions register with their own professional bodies, such as the Bar Association or the Chamber of Architects. Examples of liberal professions include doctors, solicitors, artists, and architects.

Below is an overview of the registers of the German Chambers of Commerce.

What is the Gewerberegister?

Gewerbe is the German word for business. Immediately after setting up your business, you register your company in the Gewerberegister of the municipality where your business is located. This is a municipal business register and is different from the business register mentioned above. After you register, the Gewerbeamt will automatically forward your information to the regional Finanzamt (tax office) for your tax obligations.

Pay Gewerbesteuer

Before your registration, you must pay Gewerbesteuer. This is a local business tax for natural persons and legal entities with a business. The municipality determines the rate. The amount often depends on your company's profits.

What is the German Handelsregister

The German Handelseregister (Business Register) is administered by a competent national court, known as the Amtsgericht or Kantongerecht. It registers newly established businesses and issues an HRB or HRA number. These numbers are similar to the Dutch KVK number.

Division B of the Handelseregister issues the B numbers and registers all companies. Division A of the Handelseregister issues A numbers and administers all other forms of business such as sole proprietorships and partnerships.

The Ministry of Justice of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia manages the central website  with all the information from the regional registers. This makes it easy to find the details you need.

What does the Handwerkskammer do?

The Handwerkskammer (HWK) or Chamber of Crafts administers the German Craft Register. If you perform so-called craft activities in Germany, you must sign up to or register in the register of craft businesses. This applies, for example, to tilers, hairdressers, and bakers.

HWK members must pay a mandatory membership fee.

What does the Industrie- und Handelskammer do?

The regional Industrie- und Handelskammern (IHKs, in German) is a point of contact for SMEs in Germany. An IHK supports both startups and experienced entrepreneurs with useful information. For example, about laws and regulations for the environment, taxes, labour, and trade. An IHK also monitors the German economy and competition. And provides advice on financing and subsidies.

Mandatory membership

German companies that must be IHK members pay an annual membership fee (in German). This fee varies among IHKs. Businesses in the craft sector, farmers, and so-called liberal professions such as translators, writers, and journalists do not need to be IHK members, as in these professions you do not sell products.

What is a Business Register extract in Germany?

In Germany, the equivalent of a KVK extract is called an Auszug or Mitgliederbescheinigung. You apply for this certificate of registration at your business’s regional IHK, Handwerkskammer, or Gewerberegister. You can access German registers via European Registers. In these registers you can check whether a German company is officially registered.

Read more about doing business with Germany.