Company Registration Number in Germany — Apply, Verify, Understand

The commercial register number (Handelsregisternummer) is your company's official ID: it proves the business is validly registered in the German commercial register — publicly verifiable by any business partner. Without it there's no GmbH, no UG, no complete imprint. Here's what you need to know to get one.

What is the Handelsregisternummer?

An alphanumeric identifier assigned by the register court (local court) upon registration. The format reveals the register section:

• HRB (section B): corporations — GmbH, UG, AG. Example: HRB 123456 B
• HRA (section A): partnerships and registered merchants — OHG, KG, e.K.

The register court is always part of it: "HRB 123456, Amtsgericht Charlottenburg" identifies a company unambiguously.

Don't confuse: the register number identifies the company in the register — the tax number identifies it with the tax office. Two separate numbers with separate purposes.

Who needs one — and who doesn't?

Mandatory: GmbH, UG, AG (they only come into existence upon registration!), OHG, KG, and sole traders running a commercial-scale operation.

Not required: freelancers, small trade businesses, and GbRs — they only register with the tax office and trade office. Voluntary registration (e.g. as an e.K.) is possible and looks more established.

How to get the number

The path always runs through a notary — you cannot file with the register court yourself:

1. Check the company name (availability; an IHK pre-check is recommended)
2. Prepare the formation documents — for GmbH/UG the articles of association (process in our GmbH guide)
3. Notary appointment: notarization and electronic filing with the register court
4. Review by the court and registration
5. The number is assigned and published in the register portal

Duration: 1–8 weeks depending on the court. Costs: register fees of roughly €70–360 depending on legal form, plus notary fees.

A prerequisite along the way: for the registration, the company needs a serviceable domestic business address — bookable digitally from Clevver.

Where the number must appear

After registration, the register number is a mandatory disclosure on:

• the website imprint (with the register court)
• business letters and invoices (including emails of business-letter character)
• contracts and official documents

Missing disclosures can trigger cease-and-desist claims — details in our compliance checklist.

Register extracts: free to access

Since August 2022, retrievals from the commercial register are free of charge — via the official register portal, anyone can view entries, shareholder lists, and financial statements. Useful in both directions: you can vet any business partner — and you will be vetted.

Reporting changes

Changes to company name, seat, management, or shareholder structure must be filed with the register without delay via a notary. Omissions can trigger penalty payments.

FAQ

Does the number stay the same forever? Yes — it only changes if the register court changes (relocating the seat to another court district).

How do I verify a business partner's register number? Free of charge in the joint register portal of the federal states — enter the name or number and view the entry.

HRB or HRA — which applies to my UG? HRB. Section B covers all corporations — HRA is for partnerships and registered merchants.

Can I do business without registration? As a freelancer or small trade, yes. A GmbH/UG, however, only exists upon registration — before that, you're potentially contracting with personal liability.