Handelsregister (commercial register) - registration as a sole trader (Einzelkauffrau/Einzelkaufmann, female/male)
Handelsregister - Eintragung als Einzelkauffrau und Einzelkaufmann
Machine translation of the German page, 2026-09-15. The German original is binding.
If you operate a Handelsgewerbe (commercial business) as a sole trader (Einzelkauffrau or Einzelkaufmann), you are required to have yourself entered in the Handelsregister (commercial register). If you only operate a Kleingewerbe (small business), you have the option of having yourself entered in the Handelsregister voluntarily. The distinction depends on the scope of the business. Indications of this include, for example, commercial bookkeeping, the employment of several employees, and higher turnover figures.
Book an appointment
Book an appointment (service.berlin.de)
Requirements
• Notarized form (notariell beglaubigte Form)
Your signature on the Anmeldung (application for entry in the commercial register) must be notarized. Contact a Notariat (notary's office) of your choice for this.
• Electronic transmission of the Anmeldung by the Notariat
The Handelsregister (commercial register) is maintained exclusively electronically. The electronic document (Anmeldung) is transmitted by the Notariat to the Registergericht (registry court).
Documents you need
• Application (Anmeldung)
The Handelsregistergericht (Commercial Register Court) acts only on the basis of an application (Anmeldung, application for entry).
The application must include:
• Firma (company name)
• Sitz (registered office): Berlin
• Business address in Berlin
• Surname, first name, date of birth, and place of residence of the owner
• Unternehmensgegenstand (business purpose, i.e. the company's field of activity)
Fees
• 70.00 euros: For the initial registration of a sole proprietorship (einzelkaufmännisches Unternehmen)
• In addition, a provision fee amounting to 1/3 of the fees for the registration is charged.
Legal basis
• Handelsgesetzbuch (HGB, Commercial Code) § 29 www.gesetze-im-internet.de/hgb/__29.html
• Handelsgesetzbuch (HGB) § 12 www.gesetze-im-internet.de/hgb/__12.html
• Gerichts- und Notarkostengesetz (GNotKG, Court and Notary Costs Act) § 58 www.gesetze-im-internet.de/gnotkg/__58.html
• (Handelsregistergebührenverordnung (HRegGebV, Commercial Register Fees Ordinance), Anlage zu § 1 Gebührenverzeichnis KV 1100, KV 6000 (Annex to § 1, fee schedule items KV 1100, KV 6000) www.gesetze-im-internet.de/hreggebv/anlage.html
Who is responsible
The Amtsgericht Charlottenburg (Charlottenburg Local Court) has sole responsibility for this registration in Berlin.
Responsible for you
Choose a location; the appointment itself is booked on the original page.
- Amtsgericht Charlottenburg
- Handelsregister
Original
Service number 327238 · same path as the original: service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/327238/