German company types and available documents

In Germany, the Commercial Register (Handelsregister) is managed by local courts and serves as the official record for business entities. It provides key information on company formation, ownership, legal representatives, and financial details. The Handelsregister ensures legal compliance, promotes transparency, and helps maintain integrity in the German business environment by offering public access to accurate company data. 

G-BRIS offers validated documents from the local business registry for the following entity types:   

• GmbH (Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung) – Private Limited Company
  
• AG (Aktiengesellschaft) – Public Limited Company
  
• KGaA (Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien) – Partnership Limited by Shares
  
• UG (haftungsbeschränkt) (Unternehmergesellschaft haftungsbeschränkt) – Entrepreneurial Company (limited liability)
  
• e.K. (eingetragener Kaufmann) – Registered Merchant / Sole Proprietor
• KG (Kommanditgesellschaft) – Limited Partnership

With G-BRIS, you can access the following validated company documents: 

Full official extract from the business registry (current information) 

The document contains:  

• Company name 

• Commercial register number 

• Registering court 

• Number of prior entries or changes 

• Legal form of the company 

• Date of formation and reference to governing documents 

• Registered office 

• Domestic business address 

• Authorized representatives 

• Representation rules 

• Names and details of persons with representation authority 

• Supervisory or controlling bodies  

• Procuration 

• Share capital or partnership contribution  

• Business purpose 

• Other legal relationships 

• Branches or secondary establishments  

• Date of the last registration update 

• Date and time of extract issuance 

Full official extract from the business registry (historical information) 

The document contains the historical record of all changes to the entries found in the current information extract. 

Full official extract from the business registry (chronological extract) 

The document contains all current and historical entries listed in the exact order they were registered in the commercial register. 

Articles of Association / Rules / Statute 

The document contains:  

• Company Name 

• Registered Office 

• Business Purpose 

• Share Capital 

• Shareholders 

• Management Structure 

• Supervisory board/executive board (if applicable) 

• Company Duration 

• Contributions 

• Profit Distribution 

• Decision-Making Process 

• Company Formation Date 

• Duties and Rights of Shareholders 

• Capital Increases/Reductions 

• Dissolution Process 

• Other Provisions 

 List of shareholders 

 The document contains:  

• Shareholder Names 

• Shareholder Addresses 

• Number of Shares 

• Type of Shares 

• Nominal Value of Shares 

• Date of Share Issuance 

• Shareholder’s Contribution 

• Changes in Shareholder Status 

• Signatures of Shareholders 

Annual report with financial statements 

Most companies are required to submit their annual report within six months after the end of the financial year. Annual reports for the 2024 financial year will be available by mid-2025. 

Reports for all company types (with accounting obligations) contain: 

Financial Statements  

• Balance Sheet 

• Profit and Loss Statement (P&L) 

• Notes to the Accounts 

Private Limited Companies (GmbH/UG haftungsbeschränkt/GmbH & Co. KG) 

In addition to the base requirements, the annual report may also include (depending on size): 

• Management Report 

• Auditor’s Report 

• Shareholder List 

Public Limited Company (AG) 

In addition to the GmbH requirements, the annual report must also include: 

• Mandatory Management Report 

• Mandatory Auditor’s Report 

• Supervisory Board Report 

• Corporate Governance Statement 

• Executive Remuneration Report 

• Risk Report 

• Detailed Shareholder Information 

Partnership Limited by Shares (KGaA) 

In addition to the base requirements, the annual report must include: 

• Mandatory Management Report 

• Auditor’s Report 

• Supervisory Board and Executive Board Reports 

• Corporate Governance Statement (if listed) 

• Remuneration and Shareholding Disclosures (if applicable)  

Please note that in some cases, e.K. (eingetragener Kaufmann) and KG (Kommanditgesellschaft) do not need to publish annual financials.  

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