Registers and directories

On this page, the insolvency courts of the Federal Republic of Germany publish the notices to be made when insolvency proceedings have been applied for in court.

Further information can be found on the e-Justice Portal

Excerpts from the registers and, in some cases, balance sheets of legal entities can be consulted in the business register of the Federal Ministry of Justice.

For more information, see the Business Register

Since 2015, under the EU VAT package, some services are subject to VAT in the country where the final consumer is established. On 1 January 2015, the special regulation of the Mini-One-Stop-Shop came into force. It enables companies established in Germany to declare in a special tax return those transactions which have been carried out in the other Member States of the European Union and which are covered by the special scheme. They can then submit this tax return centrally via the Federal Central Tax Office electronically and pay the resulting tax as a whole.

[Here you can find more information about the Mini-One-Stop-Shop](https://www.bzst.de/DE/Company/Sales tax/MiniOneStopShop/minionestopshop.html)

The central business register is maintained by the Federal Office of Justice. Information is provided by the Federal Office of Justice to private individuals and legal entities who are domiciled/seated outside the Federal Republic of Germany. Individuals and legal entities domiciled/headquartered in Germany usually receive information from the competent registration authority or trade authority. You need an extract from the central business register if you want to become self-employed in the security industry, for example. The competent registration authority or trade authority can be determined with the help of the responsibilities finder. If you have an identification document with an online identification function, you can also apply for extracts from the central business register online.

Further information can be found on the website of the Federal Office of Justice

Among other things, certificates of good conduct are issued from the Federal Central Register. You need these if you want to become self-employed in the security industry, for example. Individuals and legal entities domiciled/headquartered in Germany usually receive information from the competent registration authority or trade authority.

Further information can be found on the website of the Federal Office of Justice

The Land Registry Offices in North Rhine-Westphalia are managed by the local courts. You can determine the competent local court of your municipality using the [Finder of jurisdiction] (https://www.justizadressen.nrw.de/) or via the local and court register of the Federal and State Justice Portal.

You can find more information about the place and court register here

According to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), the plants that generate electricity from renewable energies and mine gas are listed in the plant register at the Federal Network Agency. Advertisements or notifications must be sent to the Federal Network Agency.

Further information can be found on the website of the Federal Network Agency

The German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) provides various information and applications: official publications and registers for patents, utility models, trademarks and designs, an electronic patent document archive, the electronic application for intellectual property rights, registers of out-of-commerce works and much more.

See here for more information on DPMA

Applications for registration in the aviation register or the aircraft roll and for the issue of airworthiness certificates must be submitted to the Federal Aviation Office (LBA).

Further information can be found on the website of the Federal Aviation Office

The location register on the location of areas of release or cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is kept by the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL).

[Further information can be found on the BVL website](https://www.bvl.bund.de/DE/Working Areas/06_Genetics/03_Applicants/02_Releases/Genetics_Releases_node.html)

In order to ensure the proper manufacture of construction products, the involvement of testing, monitoring and/or certification bodies (PÜZ bodies) or test laboratories and/or (product) certification bodies may be required. These require recognition depending on the area of law. A list of recognised bodies can be found on the website of the German Institute of Construction Technology.

[Here you will find more information on the list of TMC entities](https://www.dibt.de/en/we-bid/recognition notification-of-third parties/puez-stellen/)

This English-language site offers you the opportunity to search for companies that are registered in the English register (for example, limited companies). The offer is free of charge.

Search here for English companies

The multilingual customs tariff database TARIC contains all measures related to EU tariff, trade and agricultural legislation. The database ensures uniform application in all EU Member States and provides all economic operators with a clear overview of the measures to be taken when importing or exporting goods.

For more information on the Tariff Database (TARIC)

The database maintained by the German Patent Attorneys' Association (Patentanwaltskammer) allows you to find all patent attorneys admitted in Germany.

You can find more information about the list of patent attorneys here/Default.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1)

The Chamber of Auditors (WPK) maintains a nationwide public professional register in which all auditors and all sworn accountants or auditing companies and auditing companies are registered.

Further information can be found on the WPK website

In this register, which is administered by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), you will find all registered insurance intermediaries and all insurance consultants.

See here for more information on the Intermediary Register

On the website of the Federal Bar Association you can search for the following lawyers:

• according to lawyers licensed in Germany
• according to European lawyers licensed in Germany
• according to lawyers from other countries established in Germany in accordance with § 206 BRAO
• after all barred lawyers

For more information on the list of lawyers

The list of generally sworn and publicly appointed interpreters and translators is published on the Federal and State Justice Portal.

[Further information can be found on the e-Justice Portal page](https://justiz.de/online services/interpreters_and_uebersetzerdatenbank/index.php)

Certain legal services may only be provided by persons who have demonstrated their expertise to the competent court. The Legal Services Register (RDL Register) publishes these registered persons.

You can find more information about the RDL registry here

The tax consultant search service of the Chamber of Tax Consultants Hessen allows you to search for tax consultants by location, postal code, telephone code, areas of work as well as industry and foreign language skills.

You can find more information about the tax advisor search service here