# How to register a company in Germany (GmbH or UG): step by step

To register a GmbH or UG in Germany, check the name, choose the standard model protocol or your own articles, sign them in front of a notary (in person or by video), pay in the capital, and let the notary file with the commercial register. Then register the trade, send the tax questionnaire through ELSTER and report your beneficial owners. Expect about two to six weeks and roughly €600 to €750 in fees with the model protocol.

## Steps
1. Check the name: Pick a name ending in GmbH or UG (haftungsbeschränkt) and search the commercial register (Handelsregister) for similar names in your city. Your local chamber of commerce (IHK) can confirm it is acceptable.
2. Choose the articles: The standard model protocol (Musterprotokoll) covers up to three shareholders and one managing director with cash contributions, and keeps notary fees low. Anything more complex needs your own articles of association.
3. Sign in front of a notary: Book a notary, in person or by video through the federal notary chamber's online system. For video signing, each shareholder needs an ID card with the online function switched on.
4. Pay in the capital: Open a business account and pay in the capital. A GmbH needs €25,000 with at least €12,500 paid in before registration; a UG can start from €1 but must hold back a quarter of each year's profit.
5. Let the notary register the company: The notary files the application with the register court. The company exists once it is entered in the Handelsregister, usually one to four weeks later.
6. Register the trade, the tax and the owners: Register the trade with the local trade office (Gewerbeamt), send the tax registration questionnaire through ELSTER, and report the beneficial owners to the transparency register.

## FAQ
Q: How much does it cost to register a GmbH in Germany?
A: With the standard model protocol and one founder, notary and register fees come to roughly €600, and about €740 with two or three founders. Your own articles, extra founders or a lawyer add to that. The €25,000 share capital is not a fee - it stays in the company.

Q: How long does it take to set up a GmbH?
A: Usually two to six weeks from booking the notary to the register entry. The tax number from the tax office often takes four to eight weeks after you send the questionnaire.

Q: Can I set up a GmbH online?
A: Yes. Since 2022 the notary signing can be done by video, so founders do not need to be in Germany. Everything else - the register filing, the trade registration and the tax questionnaire - is already online.

Q: Should I choose a GmbH or a UG?
A: A UG is the same limited company with as little as €1 of capital, which suits founders who do not have €25,000 to put in yet. It must keep a quarter of each year's profit until it reaches €25,000, and some clients and banks see it as less established. Many founders start as a UG and convert later.

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