Is the Handelsregister an official government register?

It is an official public register maintained by register courts. The entry and extracts are the authoritative source for the registered facts they contain.

Does a register extract prove a company is solvent?

No. The extract records registered legal facts, not solvency. Insolvency status is typically published through separate notice channels.

Can two companies share the same HRB number?

The number is unique within a given register court section, but the same number can exist under different courts. Always record the court and section with the number.

Is a VAT ID the same as a Handelsregister number?

No. VAT IDs relate to VAT. Handelsregister references identify a register entry.

What should I capture for reliable identity matching?

Capture the registered name, legal form, seat, register court, and the full HRB/HRA reference, plus the issue date of the extract used.

Related pages

• Handelsregister overview — Start here for structure and contents.
• Register number structure — Avoid ambiguity in references.
• Tax numbers — Understand identifier differences.