DECompany formation in Germany
Open a GmbH · UG in Germany in 10–15 business days, fully online. Fixed-price packages with the registered address and every document included.
Set up from wherever you live — we file locally on your behalf.
- Entity type
- GmbH · UG
- Timeline
- 10–15 business days
- Minimum capital
- €25,000 (GmbH) · €1 (UG)
- Corporate tax
- ~30%
- Packages from
- $199 /year
All-in annual package
+ Government fees separate — paid at cost in your panel, no markup
See the full cost breakdown- Company formation & government filing
- Tax number (EIN / local tax ID)
- Registered agent for the year
- Registered business address
- Founding documents & operating agreement
- Business bank account guidance
Fixed price · Documents delivered digitally · No hidden service fees
Renews automatically each year
People who incorporate here
- Sellers who need German market trust and DE VAT
- Manufacturers and distributors serving German buyers
- B2B software selling to German enterprises
- Consultants who need a GmbH to be taken seriously
Which company type to register in Germany
GmbH
€25,000 (€12,500 paid in)The credible German company. Customers, banks and suppliers treat it as the serious form.
UG (haftungsbeschränkt)
From €1A GmbH you grow into: you must retain 25% of annual profit until reserves reach €25,000, then it converts.
Opening a company in Germany from abroad
- Citizenship or residency
- Not required for shareholders or the managing director.
- Do you have to travel?
- No. Since August 2022 a GmbH or UG can be notarised by video conference through the Federal Chamber of Notaries, from abroad.
- Bank before registry
- Share capital must be deposited before the commercial register entry, so the account comes first. This is what makes Germany slower than Estonia or the UK.
- Timeline
- 10–15 business days is realistic; the notary and the register set the pace, not us.
Germany is one of the most popular jurisdictions for international founders. The standard company form is the GmbH · UG, and the whole process runs online with Yorkmark — government filing, registered address and digital document delivery are part of every package.
Minimum share capital is €25,000 (GmbH) · €1 (UG), and the headline corporate tax rate is ~30%. Below you can see how the process works, what you need to provide, and what every package includes.
How incorporation works
Order your package
Choose a package online and tell us about the company: name, founders and activity.
We prepare and file
We draft the formation documents, file them with the local registry and set up your registered address.
Company registered
Registration typically completes in 10–15 business days. All documents are delivered digitally.
Bank, payments, accounting
We introduce you to banking providers, help connect Stripe or PayPal and can take over your bookkeeping.
What you need
- Passport or ID of each founder
- Proposed company name
- Short description of the activity
- Your contact details
Tax and yearly obligations in Germany
- Corporate tax
- 15% plus a 5.5% solidarity surcharge = 15.825%.
- Trade tax
- 8.75%–20.3% depending on the municipality, so the real total is roughly 24.5%–36%. Berlin lands near 30%, Munich near 33%.
- VAT
- 19% standard, 7% reduced. The small-business exemption applies below €25,000 of prior-year turnover.
- Annual filings
- Corporate, trade and VAT returns, plus accounts published in the Bundesanzeiger. Bookkeeping is not optional here.
Rates and thresholds are as published by the authorities and change from year to year. This is information, not tax advice.
Bank accounts and payments in Germany
A Einzahlungskonto (capital deposit account) is required before registration — Commerzbank and Sparkasse do this; some ask for a personal visit.
Qonto and Penta/Qonto accept remote GmbH/UG onboarding and are the usual answer for foreign founders.
Stripe, PayPal and Klarna all support German companies.
What's included every year
One price. Everything to open and run your company — renewed each year.
- Company formation & government filing
- Tax number (EIN / local tax ID)
- Registered agent for the year
- Registered business address
- Founding documents & operating agreement
- Business bank account guidance
What it really costs, in full
Our service fee is $199/year — flat. The official government fees below are paid at cost in your panel; we never mark them up.
- Yorkmark service
- $199/year
- Official registration
- €190 one-time
- Notary (mandatory)
- $756–$1296
- Estimated first-year total
- ~$1160
Minimum capital: €25,000 (€12,500 paid in) — your own money, held in the company
Notarisation is compulsory for a GmbH.
How it sizes up
The same numbers for the jurisdictions founders usually weigh against this one.
| Country | Entity | Timeline | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | GmbH · UG | 10–15 business days | $199 |
 Netherlands | BV | 7–10 business days | $149 |
 Estonia | OÜ | 3–5 business days | $99 |
 Sweden | AB | 7–10 business days | $149 |
Frequently asked questions
Can I open a company in Germany without living there?
Yes — every country we support allows non-resident founders; there is no citizenship or residency requirement to own the company. You provide your identity documents online and we handle the local filing and the registered address. Where a country needs an in-person step or a local director, its own section on this page explains it.
How much does it cost in total to open a company in Germany?
The annual service fee is $199 — that covers our work: company formation, registered agent, a business address and the founding documents. Government registration fees are separate and paid at cost in your panel; we always show the exact amount before you pay.
How long does company registration take in Germany?
10–15 business days, counted from the moment we have your documents. Most of that time is the registry, not us.
Do I have to travel there?
No. Since August 2022 a GmbH or UG can be notarised by video conference through the Federal Chamber of Notaries, from abroad.
How much tax will the company pay in Germany?
15% plus a 5.5% solidarity surcharge = 15.825%.
Can I open a bank account from abroad?
A Einzahlungskonto (capital deposit account) is required before registration — Commerzbank and Sparkasse do this; some ask for a personal visit. Qonto and Penta/Qonto accept remote GmbH/UG onboarding and are the usual answer for foreign founders.
What has to be filed every year?
Corporate, trade and VAT returns, plus accounts published in the Bundesanzeiger. Bookkeeping is not optional here.
Which company type should I choose?
GmbH: The credible German company. Customers, banks and suppliers treat it as the serious form. UG (haftungsbeschränkt): A GmbH you grow into: you must retain 25% of annual profit until reserves reach €25,000, then it converts.
All-in annual package
$199 /year