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Getting a German commercial register extract — current, chronological, historical

ANYONE may inspect the German commercial register (Handelsregister) and the documents filed with it for information purposes by individual retrievals (§ 9(1) sentence 1 HGB) — through the joint register portal of the federal states (Registerportal), which provides as PDFs the current extract (aktueller Abdruck: all entries currently valid), the chronological extract (chronologischer Abdruck: all data since the switch to electronic register keeping) and the historical extract (historischer Abdruck: the data valid until then). The extract is more than proof of existence: a third party must accept what has been entered and announced as binding on them (§ 15(2) sentence 1 HGB). Anyone who does not check a business partner bears that risk.

Up to date for 2026 — verified on September 23, 2026Official procedure, no printed formGuide: about 10 min

This content is part of the path: Setting up and registering a business· Step 10 of 10· Last step of the path

Deadlines

No deadline for retrieval — but a cut-off date for its effect: the end of the day of entry
§ 10(4) sentence 1 HGB — an entry is deemed announced at the end of the day on which it is made
Fifteen days after announcement: after that a third party can no longer plead ignorance
§ 15(2) sentence 2 HGB — within that period only if they prove they neither knew nor ought to have known the fact
Paper documents: electronic transmission only if filed less than ten years before the application
§ 9(2) HGB
Portal usage limit: no more than 60 searches or retrievals per hour
Registerportal terms of use, no. 5

Documents to prepare

  • Company name or keywords for the business you are looking for
  • If known: register type (such as HRA or HRB), register number and register court
  • Registered office or place of business
  • The purpose of the retrieval: today's position, all changes, or the period before electronic register keeping
  • The contract, invoice or power of attorney you want to check against the entry
  • If a certified version is required: the details for the application to the register court
See the procedure on the official site

No form is attached to this procedure: the link leads to the official page that describes it.

What this page gives you

The guide above and the link to the official site. ActioFin does not produce any document for this page: whatever you fill in or file is done on the official medium.

Who this applies to

  • Anyone who needs to prove the existence, representation or registered office of their OWN company — for instance to a bank, a business partner or an authority
  • Anyone wishing to check a business partner: company name, registered office, legal form, persons authorised to represent it, Prokura — inspection is open to anyone for information purposes (§ 9(1) sentence 1 HGB)
  • Anyone who needs documents from the register file, such as shareholder lists or articles of association of corporations — to the extent they were filed electronically with the register court
  • Anyone who needs CERTIFIED conformity: the court certifies it on application (§ 9(3) HGB), and a printout is issued as an official printout unless certification is waived (§ 9(4) HGB)
  • NOT covered: APPLYING FOR REGISTRATION in the commercial register. Applications must be filed electronically in publicly certified form (§ 12(1) sentence 1 HGB) and are a different procedure
  • NOT available through the Registerportal: annual financial statements and balance sheets — according to the portal, only through the company register (Unternehmensregister)
  • NOT permitted: systematic retrievals to rebuild the register in whole or in part — the portal's terms of use prohibit them

Worked example

Stein Textil GmbH checks an order before delivering

Mara Stein, managing director of Stein Textil GmbH, receives an order for EUR 12,000 from Keller Handels GmbH, signed by a holder of Prokura she has dealt with for years. Before delivering, she retrieves the current extract for Keller Handels GmbH from the Registerportal: the Prokura is no longer entered; its termination was entered three weeks earlier. The entry is deemed announced at the end of the day of entry (§ 10(4) sentence 1 HGB), and a third party must accept a fact that has been entered and announced as binding (§ 15(2) sentence 1 HGB). The fifteen-day period in which she could still have pleaded ignorance has expired (sentence 2). Mara therefore has the order confirmed by the management entered in the extract as authorised to represent the company. Conversely, she gives her bank the current extract for her own GmbH for a credit line; the bank asks for a certified version, which the court issues on application (§ 9(3) HGB). The amounts are illustrative.

How to fill it in, step by step

  1. Open the joint register portal of the federal states (handelsregister.de) and choose the normal or the advanced search.
  2. Enter at least one search parameter: company name or keywords, place of business/registered office, register type (HRA, HRB, GnR, PR, VR, GsR), register number or register court.
  3. If needed, tick the option to find closed register sheets or deleted branches as well.
  4. Choose the right extract: the current one for today's position, the chronological one for all changes since electronic register keeping, the historical one for the period before.
  5. Retrieve the documents from the register file if needed — you always receive all documents filed electronically for that company.
  6. Save the PDF with its retrieval date: it shows what was entered at that time.
  7. Check representation, Prokura and registered office against the signature and the details on the contract or invoice.
  8. Apply to the register court for certification (§ 9(3) HGB) or an official printout (§ 9(4) HGB) if the recipient requires a certified version.
  9. Request a document held only on paper from the register court if it was filed less than ten years before your application (§ 9(2) HGB).

Good to know

  • The register works both ways. As long as a fact requiring entry has not been entered and announced, it cannot be relied on against a third party unless they knew of it (§ 15(1) HGB). Once entered and announced, the third party must accept it (subsection 2).
  • A third party may rely on an incorrectly entered and announced fact against the person concerned, unless they knew it was incorrect (§ 15(3) HGB).
  • Entries are announced by first becoming retrievable through the Registerportal (§ 10(1) sentence 1 HGB) — the announcement IS the retrievability.
  • On request, the court certifies that no further entries exist regarding the subject of an entry, or that a particular entry has not been made (§ 9(5) HGB).
  • According to the portal, the structured register information is a non-binding service and may in individual cases differ from the current extract — the extract prevails.
  • According to the portal, the register court makes a document not retrievable online available on application if it is less than ten years old; this is subject to a fee, currently EUR 2.00 per page, minimum EUR 25.00, according to the portal.
  • Questions about the content of an entry go to the local courts keeping the register, not to the portal's service desk.
  • The state justice administrations and the Federal Ministry of Justice warn on the portal about payment requests connected with online services — check any invoice that invokes a register entry.

Common mistakes

  • Relying on a power of attorney or Prokura without checking the current extract. A third party must accept a fact that has been entered and announced (§ 15(2) sentence 1 HGB).
  • Taking the historical extract for the complete history. It contains only the data up to the switch to electronic register keeping; the chronological extract covers what follows.
  • Looking for annual financial statements on the Registerportal. According to the portal they are not available there but through the Unternehmensregister.
  • Treating the structured register information as binding. According to the portal it may differ from the current extract.
  • Retrieving in bulk. More than 60 searches or retrievals per hour are prohibited, as are systematic retrievals to build parallel registers.
  • Confusing the Registerportal with the route to registration. Applications must be filed electronically in publicly certified form (§ 12(1) sentence 1 HGB).
  • Presenting a plain extract where a certified version is required. The court certifies on application (§ 9(3) HGB).

Frequently asked questions

May I look up another company's register entry?

Yes. Anyone may inspect the commercial register and the documents filed with it for information purposes by individual retrievals (§ 9(1) sentence 1 HGB).

Which extract do I need?

For today's position, the current extract (all entries currently valid). For all changes since electronic register keeping, the chronological extract; for the period before, the historical extract.

Do I need a certified extract?

Only if the recipient asks for one. The court certifies on application that the data transmitted matches the register (§ 9(3) HGB); a printout is issued as an official printout unless certification is waived (§ 9(4) HGB).

From when is a new entry deemed known?

From the end of the day of entry (§ 10(4) sentence 1 HGB). For legal acts within fifteen days of the announcement, a third party can still escape its effect by proving they neither knew nor ought to have known the fact (§ 15(2) sentence 2 HGB).

Can I also find the articles of association and the shareholder list on the portal?

Yes, to the extent they were filed electronically with the register court: the portal cites register entries, shareholder lists and articles of association of corporations as examples. Older paper documents can be transmitted electronically only if filed less than ten years before the application (§ 9(2) HGB).

Can I register my business this way?

No. The portal is for inspection. Applications for registration must be filed electronically in publicly certified form (§ 12(1) sentence 1 HGB).

Go further

Compute the related amounts

Understand this form: the related course

Related forms

Official sources

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Guide and document provided for information purposes only; they do not constitute personalised legal or tax advice. Check the recipient organisation's requirements and consult a professional if needed.