Trade Re-registration
In the event of a relocation of your company, a branch, or a segment of your business within the urban jurisdiction where your business was originally registered, it becomes imperative to undertake a formal trade re-registration process. Furthermore, the necessity for re-registration arises when modifications occur in your product offerings, service provisions, or the nomenclature of your establishment or company.
Should you wish to transfer the commercial headquarters of your enterprise to a different municipality or city, it is a prerequisite to commence with the deregistration of your business at the location of its initial registration within the current city. Subsequently, the business must be registered anew within the new municipal jurisdiction.
Pursuant to § 14 of the Trade Code (Gewerbeordnung), it is incumbent upon all entrepreneurs to adhere to the statutory notification mandate, thereby rendering trade re-registrations obligatory.
The re-registration procedure can be seamlessly executed online through the Business Service Portal (WSP.NRW) of North Rhine-Westphalia. Within this portal, an online application for trade re-registration is readily accessible. Upon submission, your trade re-registration request will be routed to the appropriate regulatory or trade authority. Each trade re-registration is accompanied by notifications forwarded to the relevant tax authority, Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Chamber of Crafts, and Professional Association.
What Supporting Documentation Is Required?
When initiating the process of trade re-registration, either through the online platform or at your local administrative or trade office, it is imperative to furnish the following requisite documents:
- Business re-registration form
- Identity documentation of the applicant (such as an ID card or passport)
- Residence permit with the annotation "Processive activity permitted" in cases where the applicant originates from a non-European Union (EU), non-European Economic Area (EEA), or non-Swiss country
- Current registration confirmation, where applicable, in instances where the ID document does not disclose a private address
- Registration in the Chamber of Crafts, if applicable; artisanal or craft activities necessitate enrollment in the Chamber of Crafts for trade operations
- Copy of the relevant permit or concession, if applicable, for businesses subject to authorization
- Potentially, an up-to-date extract from the commercial register (if the business is already registered therein)
- A copy of the notarial notarization of the company contract or foundation agreement, if applicable
Costs
Typically, trade re-registration incurs fees akin to those associated with the initial trade registration. The fee structure is as follows:
| Category | Fee (Euro)* |
|---|---|
| For natural persons and authorized representatives of non-legal person partnerships | 26,00 € |
| For legal persons, including those representing partnerships | 33,00 € |
| For each additional legal representative of legal persons | 13,00 € |
| For each further legal representative of legal persons | 15,00 € |
(Note: The fee schedule is in accordance with subheading 12.1.3 of the General Fee Tariff as per the General Administrative Fees Regulation of North Rhine-Westphalia.)
Additional expenses may be incurred in the process of procuring supplementary documents, such as certificates of conduct.