Can I obtain an apostilled German Commercial Register extract without visiting the register court in person?
Yes. The document and apostille can be arranged remotely. For example, you can order assistance through our document service. The exact procedure depends on the type of document, the federal state and the destination country.
Do German register courts provide Commercial Register documents only on paper?
No. Commercial Register information and many filed company documents are available online through the German Registerportal. Official extracts may also be available electronically with the required electronic authentication, depending on the requested form and procedure. If you need a paper original, certification or an apostille, physical processing and delivery may still be required.
Can I order German company documents online and receive originals by courier?
Yes. Available Commercial Register documents can be ordered without visiting a German court in person. Depending on what you need, this may include a current GmbH extract, shareholder list or articles of association. Electronic documents can be provided as PDF files where available, while official, certified or apostilled originals can be sent by international courier, such as DHL or UPS.
What information does a typical German Commercial Register extract contain?
A German Commercial Register extract normally shows key registered information such as the company name, registered office, legal form, persons authorised to represent the company, registered capital where applicable and the date of the latest register entry. Depending on the legal form and register entry, additional information may also be shown.
What types of German Commercial Register extracts are available?
There are three main types of Commercial Register extracts:
Current Extract (Aktueller Abdruck – AD) – shows the entries that are currently valid in the register.
Chronological Extract (Chronologischer Abdruck – CD) – shows register information recorded since the relevant register was converted to electronic management, including previous entries.
Historical Extract (Historischer Abdruck – HD) – contains older register information from the period before the transition to electronic register management. The CD and HD can therefore be useful when you need to review a company’s registration history.
Which German Commercial Register extracts can be issued in an official form or with an apostille?
Current, chronological and historical extracts can be requested in the appropriate official form. If the document will be used abroad, an apostille may also be available where the Hague Apostille Convention applies between Germany and the destination country. The authority responsible for the apostille is not the same throughout Germany and depends on the federal state and the document. The process can be arranged without visiting the court in person.