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IMPORTANT: Select a location.To obtain application forms, location-specific information and contacts, select a town or zip code.

For an area outside of Lower Saxony and foreign languages, some menu items and functions are not available. Please go to the service page of the respective country.

Please specify an area.

Which place to enter?

The location is used to determine the responsible office for the selected administrative service. In most cases you can enter your place of residence to find the competent authority. However, there are also cases in which a different location must be specified. Here are some examples:

Birth certificateYou want to get married and need a birth certificate. You live in Hanover, but you were born in Celle. You must therefore state your place of birth, i.e. Celle.

Business registrationYou would like to register a business in Braunschweig. Your place of residence is Hanover. You must therefore state the location of your future business, i.e. Braunschweig.

Apply for a building permitYou would like to build a house in Wunstorf and therefore apply for a building permit. Her place of residence is currently Hanover. You must indicate the place where the house is to be built. In this case it is Wunstorf.

Travel trade card-exempt activity Re-registration

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You are already carrying out an activity that is exempt from a travel trade license and wish to re-register.

The following activities that do not require a travel trade license must be reported to the competent authority:

  • Anyone who offers goods for sale or solicits (sells) or purchases orders, offers services or solicits orders for services in the municipality of their place of residence or commercial establishment, provided the municipality has no more than 10,000 inhabitants;
  • Anyone who sells food or other everyday goods from a non-fixed sales outlet or other establishment at regular, shorter intervals at the same location; the prohibition in Section 56 (1) No. 3 (b) GewO does not apply;
  • Anyone who offers printed works for sale on public paths, streets, squares or in other public places.

If you carry out one of the above-mentioned activities that do not require a travel trade license in accordance with § 55a Para. 1 No. 3, 9 and 10 GewO, you must notify the competent authority of the start of your trade, unless you have already registered it in accordance with § 14 Para. 1 to 3 GewO. If there is an obligation to notify, the form in accordance with the Trade Notification Ordinance must be used.

Who should I contact?

Applications / forms

The notification forms prescribed in Section 14 of the Trade Regulation Act (GewO) must be used in the trade notification procedure.

Which documents are required?

  • Completed form in accordance with the Trade Notification Ordinance
  • Identity card or passport with registration certificate
  • Residence permit if foreigner and no EU/EEA nationality
  • Proof of the legal form of the company:
    • If you have your registered office in Germany, you will need
      • for registered companies: Extract from the commercial register and, if applicable, a copy of the articles of association
  • If your company is based abroad, you will need documents from the country in which your company is based to prove its legal form.

What are the fees?

The amount of the fees is determined in accordance with Annex 1 to Section 1 (1) of the General Fee Regulations of the State of Lower Saxony No. 40.1.2.1- depending on the time spent. However, the maximum fee is EUR 43.00.

Fee: 0,00 - 43,00 EUR
Payment in advance: no

Process flow

You can register an activity that does not require a travel trade license with your local municipality or city administration. To do this, contact the municipality or city administration/trade office in which you have your habitual residence or in which the future business will be based.

What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?

The change of business registration must be made at the same time as the relocation of the business or the change or expansion of the goods or services offered.

Processing duration

Processing Time: 3 Days

What else should I know?

Service providers who fulfill the requirements of Article 4 No. 5 of Directive (EC) No. 2006/123 on services in the internal market within the scope of the Trade Regulation Act (GewO) and therefore do not fall under Section 4 (1) sentence 2 GewO are also subject to notification, even if they maintain a branch in another EU Member State. As an exception, permanent activities outside a branch or without such a branch may also be subject to notification if they are initiated by the client.

Source: Serviceportal Niedersachsen (Portalverbund des Bundes und der Länder)

Further Links

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Single points of contact of the state of Lower Saxony, Single points of contact of the countries of Europe, advice and assistance for EU citizens and their families.
Access information on the single point of contact for the state of Lower Saxonyvisit Website Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEsVisit advice and assistance for EU citizens and their families