Your authoritative guide to understanding Germany's commercial register. Covers structure, identifiers, entity types, registration steps, and how to interpret official extracts — all referencing primary legal sources.
Editorial reference pages explaining how Germany's Handelsregister and related registers work — how entries are structured, what identifiers mean, and how to read official publications.
No filings. No paid access. No "instant verification" promises. We point to official German government portals and help you understand what you find there.
We prioritise primary legal and official sources, and update explanations when rules, portals, or publication practices change. All sources are cited.
Germany's Handelsregister is publicly accessible through official portals. This site explains what you'll find there, how to interpret each field, and what common misunderstandings arise when reading extracts for cross-border due diligence.
| Term | What it is | Common use | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handelsregister | Public register of merchants and companies, maintained by local courts (Registergerichte) | Verify basic company existence, legal form, and registered representatives | Overview |
| HRB | Section B of the register — for companies with limited liability (GmbH, AG, UG, KGaA) | Check legal form, managing directors, share capital, and structural changes | HRB vs HRA |
| HRA | Section A — for sole merchants (e.K.) and partnerships (OHG, KG, GmbH & Co. KG) | Check partners, unlimited liability exposure, and business name | HRB vs HRA |
| Registergericht | The local district court responsible for maintaining the register in a given area | Determine where a company's record is held and who to contact for certified extracts | Courts guide |
| Handelsregisterauszug | Official extract from the register — current or chronological — showing registered facts | Formal document used in due diligence, onboarding, and legal proceedings | Extract guide |
| Transparenzregister | Germany's beneficial ownership register, linked to but separate from the Handelsregister | UBO context checks — identifying ultimate beneficial owners of legal entities | UBO guide |
| USt-IdNr | VAT identification number (EU format: DE + 9 digits) — not stored in Handelsregister | Cross-border trade and VAT verification via EU VIES portal | VAT ID guide |
This site does not provide government services, filings, registrations, or paid access to registers. It explains what official registers contain, how records are structured, and where public information is published. Always consult official portals and qualified professionals for decisions with legal or financial consequences.
