Register companies for tax purposes
Description
Companies and the self-employed must also take care of the tax in the start-up phase.
In order for the tax office to be able to classify you correctly in the tax, it needs certain information about your company or your self-employment. This information must be provided in the "Tax Registration Questionnaire".
You must complete and submit this questionnaire within one month without an individual request from your local tax office, if possible by online procedure via the online tax office "ELSTER".
With the help of this questionnaire, the tax office determines, among other things,
- what kind of taxes you have to pay,
- when you have to pay,
- how much you will probably have to pay.
Your information in the questionnaire for tax registration forms the basis for all correspondence relating to your company or your self-employment with the tax office.
Even if you want to work part-time, you must complete the questionnaire for tax registration.
You take a
- Commercial
- self-employed (freelance) or
- agricultural and forestry activities,
or you can set up a
- Corporation
- Corporation
- Partnership/community or a
- Association
or
- You participate in a partnership/community
- You do not only pursue your activity as a hobby (no intention to make a profit).
- in the case of representation: Power of attorney
- for tax payment by direct debit: Completed SEPA mandate
- in individual cases, further documents mentioned in the respective questionnaire for tax registration
- Tax registration: Usually within one month after you have started the activity.
Note: In some cases there are other deadlines, for example for start-ups abroad.
The processing time varies depending on the responsible tax office.
Your local tax office. You can determine the tax office responsible for your municipality by searching for the Federal Central Tax Office.
Forms: yes
Online procedure possible: partial
Written form required: yes
Personal appearance required: no
If possible, you should register your company or self-employed person for tax purposes online.
Make tax registration online:
- Log in to the website "ELSTER – Your Online Tax Office" of the German tax administration with your ELSTER user account.
- Note: If you do not yet have an ELSTER user account, you must first create it. Registration involves several steps and can take up to two weeks. You also need the ELSTER user account for the electronic transmission of your tax return.
- Then select the option "All forms" under the tab "Forms & Services". Then click on the tax registration questionnaire relevant to your business or self-employed activity.
- Fill out the online form completely and, if necessary, upload the necessary documents. Submit the questionnaire.
- The tax office will check your details and, if necessary, you will have to submit documents later.
- You will then be provided with your tax number in writing.
Note: There is currently no online procedure available for associations and corporations under foreign law.
Make a tax declaration in writing:
- Download the respective questionnaire for tax registration on the website of the Federal Finance Administration.
- Complete the questionnaire completely. Use the questionnaire to check whether the tax office needs further documents from you.
- Send the questionnaire and any documents to your tax office. The tax office will check your details and, if necessary, you will have to submit documents later.
- You will then receive a notification of your tax registration.
Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF)
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
