How to Change the Company Address in Germany: Relocation vs. Address Update

To change the company address in Germany you must first answer one question: is the new address in the same municipality as the current one, or in a different city? The answer determines whether you are facing a full statutory seat relocation (in German: “Sitzverlegung”), which is an amendment of the articles of association, or a simple address update within the same municipality, which is much faster and cheaper. This guide explains both routes step by step and shows how GmbH-UG.com handles each of them for your GmbH or UG.

Two Routes to Change the Company Address in Germany

The two routes to change the company address in Germany differ both legally and in cost. The decisive criterion is the registered seat of the company, which is the city named in the articles of association.

Route 1: Seat Relocation Between Two Different Cities

A seat relocation between two different cities is a change of the registered seat in the articles of association and therefore a statutory amendment. It is treated almost exactly like a company name change: shareholders’ resolution, notarial deed, Commercial Register filing, and an update at the new local trade office.

The documents must be signed by both the shareholders and the managing directors. This requires notarisation in Germany, for which either all parties must be present or the parties involved must send a representative authorised to sign on their behalf. GmbH-UG.com can take on this role.

If the shareholders are other companies, the company documents must be obtained anew in the same form as was required when the company was incorporated in Germany.

Route 2: Address Change Within the Same City

An address change within the same city does not touch the registered seat. The articles of association continue to name the same municipality, only the street address inside that municipality changes. This route is faster and cheaper: no shareholders’ resolution, no amended articles, no full notarial deed of the resolution. The managing director simply signs an application to update the address in the Commercial Register, and the signature is notarised which can take place abroad. The total external cost is typically around 200 EUR for notary plus Commercial Register fees combined.

How to Change the Company Address in Germany in a New City

To change the company address in a new city in Germany you need to amend the articles of association. The procedure mirrors a company activity change.

Step 1: Convene the Shareholders’ Meeting

The first step to change the company address between two cities is the formal shareholders’ meeting (in German: “Gesellschafterversammlung”). The managing director sends the invitation in line with the articles of association, observes the notice period and lists the seat relocation as an agenda item.

Step 2: Sign the Shareholders’ Resolution

The second step to change the company address into a new city is the shareholders’ resolution. A relocation is an amendment of the articles and therefore requires at least a 50% majority of the votes cast, unless your articles demand more. Drafting the resolution before the notary appointment, not by the notary, keeps the notary fees down.

Step 3: Notarisation

The third step to change the company address into a new city is the notarisation (in German: “notarielle Beurkundung”) of the resolution and the amended articles. All shareholders must attend in person or be represented by a duly authorised proxy.

Step 4: Filing in the Commercial Register

The fourth step to change the company address in Germany is the filing in the Commercial Register. Where the new seat falls under a different register court, the file is transferred to the new court, which can add to the processing time. The relocation becomes effective vis-à-vis third parties only with the entry by the Commercial Register.

Step 5: Cancellation and new registration of a business with the Trade Office

As a final step, the business must be deregistered with the old trade office (in German: Gewerbeamt) and registered with the new one. Depending on the local authority, this can take several weeks. However, this registration has no impact on the business’s ability to operate. These applications need to be signed by the managing director(s).

How to Change the Company Address in Germany Within the Same City

To change the company address within the same city in Germany is much simpler. There is no resolution, no notarial deed of the articles, and the new street address can be filed directly.

Step 1: Notarised Application to the Commercial Register

The first step to change the company address within the same city is the application to the Commercial Register. The managing director signs the application to register the business address and the signature is notarised (in German: “Unterschriftsbeglaubigung”).

Step 2: Entry in the Commercial Register

The third step to change the company address within the same city is the entry by the register court. The new address is published, and third parties can rely on it.

Step 3: Business re-registration

Even a change of address within the same town must be reported to the relevant trade office (in German: Gewerbeamt). This is done using a trade registration change form (in German: Gewerbeummeldung).

After Changing the Company Address: What to Update

Whichever route you take, you must propagate the new address across every register, contract and customer touchpoint. Many of these updates are obligations rather than nice-to-haves.

• Trade office (in German: “Gewerbeamt”): re-register the trade (in German: “Gewerbeummeldung”) at the new local trade office. In a cross-city relocation, you also deregister at the old one.
• Tax office (in German: “Finanzamt”): notify the change. A cross-city relocation typically also changes the responsible tax office and your tax number.
• EORI number: update the EORI master data at the German customs authority if you trade internationally.
• Banks and payment providers: update business accounts, card schemes, PSPs, Stripe, PayPal, etc.
• Business letters, invoices, Impressum, privacy policy, T&Cs: all must show the new address.
• Contracts: notify suppliers, landlords, insurers, employees; amend wording where required.
• Postal forwarding: set up a postal forwarding order at Deutsche Post for at least 6 months.

Special Case: Corporate Shareholders and Foreign Companies

For a cross-city relocation, when a shareholder of the GmbH or UG is itself a company, additional documents are required at the notary appointment: a current proof of existence and a proof of representation showing who is authorised to act for that shareholder. GmbH-UG.com gladly procures and prepares these documents for you. If the corporate shareholder is a foreign company, the documents must be presented in the original, carry an apostille (or full legalisation for non-Hague-Convention countries) and come with a certified German translation. Plan an additional 1 to 3 weeks for this step depending on the country where the shareholder ist registered in.

How to Save on Notary Costs for the Address Change

You can save on notary costs of the address change by drafting all documents before the notary appointment. With GmbH-UG.com you receive the full document set ready for signature, the notary only certifies or records, and the fee remains lower.

How Long Does It Take to Change the Company Address in Germany?

A cross-city seat relocation typically takes 1 to 3 weeks from instruction to Commercial Register entry, in particular because the file can be transferred between two different courts. A same-city address change is faster and usually completes within 1 to 2 weeks.

Why Work With GmbH-UG.com on Your Address Change

The simplest and fastest route to a clean address change is to delegate the paperwork. With GmbH-UG.com you get a single point of contact who:

• identifies the correct route,
• drafts the shareholders’ resolution and the amended articles where required,
• coordinates the notary appointment in your area (or remotely),
• handles the trade office, EORI and tax-office updates,
• supports foreign shareholders with apostille and certified translation logistics.

FAQ: Change Company Address in Germany

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