Obtain Information about German Companies
How to obtain information about a German company
Due diligence procedures before going into business with a company are very common nowadays. When looking for information about a German company, the most important thing is to find a secure way to obtain all the required, but most of all, the correct information. There are several simple ways to obtain information about companies in Germany. Among these perform a search on the German Commercial Register or on the European Business Register. There are also specialized companies that gather information about businesses in Germany and one last resort is appealing to the services of professionals for thorough company due diligence. Our lawyers in Germany also provide company due to diligence services.
Searching a German company with the Trade Register
The best and simple way to obtain information about a German company is to search it with the Commercial Register. The German Trade Register allows individuals and companies to obtain all the information they need online. The Commercial Register (Handelsregister) contains information about all types of companies and it is divided into two sections:
- one dedicated to partnerships, association, and German sole traders,
- one dedicated to registered companies with share capital.
The information one can obtain with the German Trade Register are:
- - the legal name of the business,
- - the company’s registered address,
- - details about the German company’s managers and directors,
- - details about the share capital, where applicable.
The information is available to anybody and can be downloaded, however in some cases, registration may be required.
Obtaining information about a German company with the EU Business Register
German companies are also listed on the EU Business Register’s website. The distributor of the EU Business Register services in Germany is the Federal Gazette. In order to perform a search for a German company on the EU Business Register’s website, one must type in the name of the company, select the country of residence, and choose the business sector. The EU Business Register also provides information about branch offices of German companies.
For more information about obtaining information about companies, please contact our law firm in Germany.
