Company formation in Germany
Germany company formation: entity type, statutory cost (800 EUR), and elapsed time (21 days).
Country notes
The standard form is the GmbH (Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung) with a EUR 25,000 minimum share capital, formed via a notary and registered in the commercial register (Handelsregister). The UG (Unternehmergesellschaft) is a lighter variant with EUR 1 minimum capital. Total elapsed formation time is typically two to four weeks.
Key data
| Statutory formation cost | 800 EUR |
|---|---|
| Average formation time | 21 days |
| Formation difficulty (1=easy, 5=hard) | 4 |
Cross-country context
| Formation time (days) | 21 |
|---|---|
| Lowest in the data set | 1 (Estonia) |
| Highest in the data set | 21 (Spain) |
| Rank within the data set | #12 of 13 |
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Methodology
Year-one cost estimate combining (1) the headline statutory formation cost from the country profile and (2) two illustrative low-end annual baselines: an accounting baseline and an admin / registered-office baseline, both denominated in the country's currency. Baselines assume a single-director entity with minimal transactions; actual quotes from local providers may be substantially higher depending on transaction volume, complexity, payroll, and audit thresholds.
These calculations are informational estimates based on headline rates and transparent assumptions — not tax, accounting, or legal advice. Verify with a qualified local advisor before relying on the results.
Related
Other countries in the region
Featured ranking
Country profile
Sources
- Bundesministerium der Finanzen — Federal Ministry of Finance — Germany (accessed )
- European Commission — European Commission — policy and country information (accessed )
- Eurostat — Eurostat — official statistics of the European Union (accessed )
- OECD — OECD — economic and tax statistics (accessed )
- PricewaterhouseCoopers — PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries (accessed )
- Stripe — Stripe — supported countries (accessed )
- Wise — Wise — service availability (accessed )
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