Founding a Company

Founding a company in Düsseldorf offers businesses extensive opportunities to gain a solid foothold in the German and European markets.

A GmbH (limited liability company) is the company structure most often chosen by international company founders. It combines a clearly structured process for founding the company with limitations on liability, making it a good choice for companies that plan to operate both locally and internationally.

This page provides an overview of the most important aspects involved in founding a company.

Steps for founding a GmbH
1. Develop a business concept
- Analyse the German market to identify business opportunities. Visit trade fairs and networking events, and research potential customers and business partners.
- Create a detailed business plan based on your insights. Your business plan should map out your company objectives, strategies and budget.
2. Clarify the legal framework
- Make an appointment with a law firm or tax consultancy to clarify the most important legal and tax questions, such as:
  - Company structure: is a GmbH the best option for your business?
  - Shareholder structure: clarify who holds the shares and determine partners’ responsibilities.
  - Management: assemble a management team and clarify any powers of representation, if necessary.
- Review the residence permit requirements for managers and employees and make sure that these requirements are met.
- Have a law firm review any relevant trademarks or industrial property rights in order to protect your intellectual property in Germany.
3. Prepare the documents to found your company
- Collect the required documents:
  - Shareholder documents: information about all shareholders (natural persons or companies).
  - Business objective: description of planned business activities.
  - Management: names and personal data of management.
Note:
Please make sure to plan enough time to have your company’s documents translated, certified and authenticated.

4. Open a bank account
- Contact a bank of your choosing at an early stage in the process; each bank’s requirements may vary. The most important documents generally include:
  - Ownership structure: transparent account of all shareholders.
  - Proof of capital: proof of the source of the capital invested in the company (bank statements, financial reports, etc.).
- Opening a business account is an important step, as the GmbH’s initial capital will need to be paid into this account before the company can be entered into the commercial register.
Registering your GmbH
Draft the articles of association for your company and have them certified
- Draft your GmbH’s articles of association (charter) with the help of a law firm or tax consultancy.
- Have your articles of association notarised. For this purpose:
  - Your managing director must be present.
  - A proxy with a notarised power of attorney can stand in for a shareholder.
Open a business account
- Set up a business account at a German or international bank.
- As soon as the account is open, deposit the company’s initial capital (minimum EUR 25,000 when founding a GmbH).
Note:
It may take the bank some time to review your documents.
Formalities after registration
Entry into the commercial register
- After certification by a notary, your GmbH will be entered into the Handelsregister (commercial register). This is a required step and must be completed before your business can launch operations.
Business registration
- Register your company with the Gewerbemeldeamt (trade registration office, German only).
Apply for a Betriebsnummer (company number)
- Contact the competent authority(German only) to apply for a company number. This number is required for registering employees for social insurance, among other things.
Tax registration
- Wait to receive documents from the Finanzamt (tax office), such as your Steuer-ID (tax ID) and ‘Fragebogen zur steuerlichen Erfassung’ (tax assessment survey).
- To avoid delays, work with your tax consultant to respond to questions from the tax office as quickly as possible.

Cookie advice

Founding a Company