Undeclared work notification
According to the Undeclared Work Prevention Act of 23.07.2004, undeclared work is performed by anyone who provides services or has them carried out and thereby
- withholds social security contributions as an employer, entrepreneur or self-employed person subject to compulsory insurance by breaching his reporting, contribution or recording obligations,
- evades or reduces taxes as a taxpayer,
- as a recipient of social benefits (e.g. unemployment benefit, unemployment benefit 2, social assistance) does not fulfil its statutory notification obligations towards the social security provider, in particular does not indicate the start of work,
- as a trader has not fulfilled his obligation to notify the trade (§ 14 Gewerbeordnung) or has not acquired the required itinerant trade card (§ 55 Gewerbeordnung),
- operates a craft subject to authorisation as a self-employed person without being entered in the Register of Craftsmen (§ 1 Handwerksordnung).
Undeclared work offences listed in No. 1-3 are examined by the Customs Administration. If you have any questions, please contact your local main customs office. Further information can be obtained from the Financial Control Department of Undeclared Work at the Oberfinanzdirektion Köln or on the Internet on the websites listed below.
Infringements of craft and trade law (No. 4 and 5) are prosecuted by the municipal anti-undeclared employment authorities. These are usually the districts, independent cities and large independent cities. The employees of the Lower Saxony Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Transport in the government representations are responsible for coordinating the fight against undeclared work in the area of crafts and trade law, which you can also contact via the e-mail address Schwarzarbeitsbekaempfung@mw.niedersachsen.de. Feedback on your information is not possible for data protection reasons.
Assistance by relatives or life partners, out of courtesy, by way of neighborhood help or self-help remains permissible if it is not sustainably aimed at profit.
Aftermath
Anyone who commissions or performs undeclared work and evades taxes, fails to pay social security contributions or fraudulently obtains social benefits commits a criminal offence punishable by a fine or, in serious cases, imprisonment of up to 10 years. Undeclared work, which is prosecuted as an administrative offence, can be subject to fines of up to 300,000 euros.
In addition, in many cases there is a risk of exclusion from public contracts.
What can I do?
Undeclared work causes great damage. Therefore
- do not work black,
- do not employ undeclared workers,
- be attentive and inform the competent anti-work authorities.
Special notes for - Single Municipality Meppen
General information
According to the Act to Combat Clandestine Employment of 23.07.2004, anyone who performs work or has work performed for them and in doing so
- as an employer, entrepreneur or self-employed person subject to compulsory insurance withholds social security contributions by violating their reporting, contribution or record-keeping obligations,
- evades or reduces taxes as a taxpayer,
- as a recipient of social benefits, fails to comply with his/her statutory obligations to notify the social benefit provider, in particular by failing to report the commencement of employment,
- as a trader, has not complied with his obligation to register his trade (§ 14 of the Trade, Commerce and Industry Regulation Act) or has not obtained the required traveling trade license (§ 55 of the Trade, Commerce and Industry Regulation Act),
- operates a craft requiring a license as a self-employed person without being entered in the register of craftsmen (Section 1 of the Crafts Code).
Illegal employment offenses listed in Nos. 1-3 are investigated by the customs administration. If you have any questions, please contact your local main customs office. Further information can be obtained from the Financial Control of Clandestine Employment Department at the Cologne Regional Finance Directorate or on the Internet at the websites listed below.
Craft and trade law violations ( no. 4 and 5 ) are prosecuted by the local authorities responsible for combating illegal employment. As a rule, these are the districts, independent cities and large independent towns. The employees of the Lower Saxony Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Transport in the government agencies are responsible for coordinating the fight against undeclared work in the area of craft and trade law, which you can also contact via the e-mail address Schwarzarbeitsbekaempfung@mw.niedersachsen.de. For data protection reasons, it is not possible to respond to your information.
Assistance provided by relatives or life partners, as a courtesy, by way of neighborly help or self-help remains permissible if it is not aimed at sustainable profit.
The consequences
Anyone who commissions or performs undeclared work and evades taxes, fails to pay social security contributions or fraudulently obtains social benefits is committing a criminal offense that can be punished with a fine or, in serious cases, a prison sentence of up to 10 years. Undeclared work, which is prosecuted as an administrative offense, can be punished with fines of up to 300,000 euros.
In many cases, there is also the threat of exclusion from public contracts.
What can I do?
Undeclared work causes great damage. Therefore
- Do not work illegally,
- Do not employ undeclared workers,
- be vigilant and inform the relevant authorities responsible for combating undeclared work.
Who should I contact?
The responsibility lies with the municipality, the joint municipality, the city and the district, as well as the competent main customs office.
Responsible authorities
Landkreis Emsland - Fachbereich Sicherheit und Ordnung
Transport Connection:
Station Haltestelle Kreishaus
Bus: 993
Building Access
elevator available, wheelchair-accessible
Contact
Klemens van Olfen
Telephone: 05931 44-1468
Email: Get in touch
Room:
F 468
responsible for:
- Dörpen:
- Apply for a license as a real estate agent, loan broker, property developer, building supervisor or residential property manager
- Apply for a residence permit for conditional admission to study or part-time studies
- Apply for a security permit
- Apply for a travel trade permit for gambling halls
- Applying for re-authorisation of a trade after prohibition
- Auction: Advertisement
- Auctioneer's trade permit in the itinerant trade
- Auctioneering trade - apply for permission
- Business Legitimacy Card Issuance
- Checking the reliability of traders in the case of industries requiring monitoring
- Continuation of a business by proxy Approval
- Cross-border provision of services Notification in the security industry
- Deadline for delivery of surpluses from pawnbrokerage in the pawnbroking industry: extension
- Exceptions to the prescribed minimum viewing period of the auctioned goods in the auctioneering business Admission
- Exemption from the observance of the night's rest for events: granting
- Gaming arcade license
- Notification period of an auction: shortening
- Operation of a trade after the death of the trader without a qualified representative Authorisation
- Organization of a trade fair, exhibition or wholesale market: fixing
- Pawnbroking - Apply for a permit
- Pawnbroking: Extension of the pledge recovery period
- Public holidays: approval - of exceptions to the general rest period
- Undeclared work notification
- Emsbüren:
- Apply for a license as a real estate agent, loan broker, property developer, building supervisor or residential property manager
- Apply for a residence permit for conditional admission to study or part-time studies
- Apply for a security permit
- Apply for a travel trade permit for gambling halls
- Applying for re-authorisation of a trade after prohibition
- Auction: Advertisement
- Auctioneer's trade permit in the itinerant trade
- Auctioneering trade - apply for permission
- Business Legitimacy Card Issuance
- Checking the reliability of traders in the case of industries requiring monitoring
- Continuation of a business by proxy Approval
- Cross-border provision of services Notification in the security industry
- Deadline for delivery of surpluses from pawnbrokerage in the pawnbroking industry: extension
- Exceptions to the prescribed minimum viewing period of the auctioned goods in the auctioneering business Admission
- Exemption from the observance of the night's rest for events: granting
- Gaming arcade license
- Notification period of an auction: shortening
- Operation of a trade after the death of the trader without a qualified representative Authorisation
- Organization of a trade fair, exhibition or wholesale market: fixing
- Pawnbroking - Apply for a permit
- Pawnbroking: Extension of the pledge recovery period
- Public holidays: approval - of exceptions to the general rest period
- Undeclared work notification
- Emsland:
- Freren:
- Apply for a license as a real estate agent, loan broker, property developer, building supervisor or residential property manager
- Apply for a residence permit for conditional admission to study or part-time studies
- Apply for a security permit
- Apply for a travel trade permit for gambling halls
- Applying for re-authorisation of a trade after prohibition
- Auction: Advertisement
- Auctioneer's trade permit in the itinerant trade
- Auctioneering trade - apply for permission
- Business Legitimacy Card Issuance
- Checking the reliability of traders in the case of industries requiring monitoring
- Continuation of a business by proxy Approval
- Cross-border provision of services Notification in the security industry
- Deadline for delivery of surpluses from pawnbrokerage in the pawnbroking industry: extension
- Exceptions to the prescribed minimum viewing period of the auctioned goods in the auctioneering business Admission
- Exemption from the observance of the night's rest for events: granting
- Gaming arcade license
- Notification period of an auction: shortening
- Operation of a trade after the death of the trader without a qualified representative Authorisation
- Organization of a trade fair, exhibition or wholesale market: fixing
- Pawnbroking - Apply for a permit
- Pawnbroking: Extension of the pledge recovery period
- Public holidays: approval - of exceptions to the general rest period
- Undeclared work notification
- Geeste:
- Apply for a license as a real estate agent, loan broker, property developer, building supervisor or residential property manager
- Apply for a residence permit for conditional admission to study or part-time studies
- Apply for a security permit
- Apply for a travel trade permit for gambling halls
- Applying for re-authorisation of a trade after prohibition
- Auction: Advertisement
- Auctioneer's trade permit in the itinerant trade
- Auctioneering trade - apply for permission
- Business Legitimacy Card Issuance
- Checking the reliability of traders in the case of industries requiring monitoring
- Continuation of a business by proxy Approval
- Cross-border provision of services Notification in the security industry
- Deadline for delivery of surpluses from pawnbrokerage in the pawnbroking industry: extension
- Exceptions to the prescribed minimum viewing period of the auctioned goods in the auctioneering business Admission
- Exemption from the observance of the night's rest for events: granting
- Gaming arcade license
- Notification period of an auction: shortening
- Operation of a trade after the death of the trader without a qualified representative Authorisation
- Organization of a trade fair, exhibition or wholesale market: fixing
- Pawnbroking - Apply for a permit
- Pawnbroking: Extension of the pledge recovery period
- Public holidays: approval - of exceptions to the general rest period
- Undeclared work notification
- Haren (Ems):
- Apply for a license as a real estate agent, loan broker, property developer, building supervisor or residential property manager
- Apply for a residence permit for conditional admission to study or part-time studies
- Apply for a security permit
- Apply for a travel trade permit for gambling halls
- Applying for re-authorisation of a trade after prohibition
- Auction: Advertisement
- Auctioneer's trade permit in the itinerant trade
- Auctioneering trade - apply for permission
- Business Legitimacy Card Issuance
- Checking the reliability of traders in the case of industries requiring monitoring
- Continuation of a business by proxy Approval
- Cross-border provision of services Notification in the security industry
- Deadline for delivery of surpluses from pawnbrokerage in the pawnbroking industry: extension
- Exceptions to the prescribed minimum viewing period of the auctioned goods in the auctioneering business Admission
- Exemption from the observance of the night's rest for events: granting
- Gaming arcade license
- Notification period of an auction: shortening
- Operation of a trade after the death of the trader without a qualified representative Authorisation
- Organization of a trade fair, exhibition or wholesale market: fixing
- Pawnbroking - Apply for a permit
- Pawnbroking: Extension of the pledge recovery period
- Public holidays: approval - of exceptions to the general rest period
- Undeclared work notification
- Haselünne:
- Apply for a license as a real estate agent, loan broker, property developer, building supervisor or residential property manager
- Apply for a residence permit for conditional admission to study or part-time studies
- Apply for a security permit
- Apply for a travel trade permit for gambling halls
- Applying for re-authorisation of a trade after prohibition
- Auction: Advertisement
- Auctioneer's trade permit in the itinerant trade
- Auctioneering trade - apply for permission
- Business Legitimacy Card Issuance
- Checking the reliability of traders in the case of industries requiring monitoring
- Continuation of a business by proxy Approval
- Cross-border provision of services Notification in the security industry
- Deadline for delivery of surpluses from pawnbrokerage in the pawnbroking industry: extension
- Exceptions to the prescribed minimum viewing period of the auctioned goods in the auctioneering business Admission
- Exemption from the observance of the night's rest for events: granting
- Gaming arcade license
- Notification period of an auction: shortening
- Operation of a trade after the death of the trader without a qualified representative Authorisation
- Organization of a trade fair, exhibition or wholesale market: fixing
- Pawnbroking - Apply for a permit
- Pawnbroking: Extension of the pledge recovery period
- Public holidays: approval - of exceptions to the general rest period
- Undeclared work notification
- Herzlake:
- Apply for a license as a real estate agent, loan broker, property developer, building supervisor or residential property manager
- Apply for a residence permit for conditional admission to study or part-time studies
- Apply for a security permit
- Apply for a travel trade permit for gambling halls
- Applying for re-authorisation of a trade after prohibition
- Auction: Advertisement
- Auctioneer's trade permit in the itinerant trade
- Auctioneering trade - apply for permission
- Business Legitimacy Card Issuance
- Checking the reliability of traders in the case of industries requiring monitoring
- Continuation of a business by proxy Approval
- Cross-border provision of services Notification in the security industry
- Deadline for delivery of surpluses from pawnbrokerage in the pawnbroking industry: extension
- Exceptions to the prescribed minimum viewing period of the auctioned goods in the auctioneering business Admission
- Exemption from the observance of the night's rest for events: granting
- Gaming arcade license
- Notification period of an auction: shortening
- Operation of a trade after the death of the trader without a qualified representative Authorisation
- Organization of a trade fair, exhibition or wholesale market: fixing
- Pawnbroking - Apply for a permit
- Pawnbroking: Extension of the pledge recovery period
- Public holidays: approval - of exceptions to the general rest period
- Undeclared work notification
- Lathen:
- Apply for a license as a real estate agent, loan broker, property developer, building supervisor or residential property manager
- Apply for a residence permit for conditional admission to study or part-time studies
- Apply for a security permit
- Apply for a travel trade permit for gambling halls
- Applying for re-authorisation of a trade after prohibition
- Auction: Advertisement
- Auctioneer's trade permit in the itinerant trade
- Auctioneering trade - apply for permission
- Business Legitimacy Card Issuance
- Checking the reliability of traders in the case of industries requiring monitoring
- Continuation of a business by proxy Approval
- Cross-border provision of services Notification in the security industry
- Deadline for delivery of surpluses from pawnbrokerage in the pawnbroking industry: extension
- Exceptions to the prescribed minimum viewing period of the auctioned goods in the auctioneering business Admission
- Exemption from the observance of the night's rest for events: granting
- Gaming arcade license
- Notification period of an auction: shortening
- Operation of a trade after the death of the trader without a qualified representative Authorisation
- Organization of a trade fair, exhibition or wholesale market: fixing
- Pawnbroking - Apply for a permit
- Pawnbroking: Extension of the pledge recovery period
- Public holidays: approval - of exceptions to the general rest period
- Undeclared work notification
- Lengerich:
- Apply for a license as a real estate agent, loan broker, property developer, building supervisor or residential property manager
- Apply for a residence permit for conditional admission to study or part-time studies
- Apply for a security permit
- Apply for a travel trade permit for gambling halls
- Applying for re-authorisation of a trade after prohibition
- Auction: Advertisement
- Auctioneer's trade permit in the itinerant trade
- Auctioneering trade - apply for permission
- Business Legitimacy Card Issuance
- Checking the reliability of traders in the case of industries requiring monitoring
- Continuation of a business by proxy Approval
- Cross-border provision of services Notification in the security industry
- Deadline for delivery of surpluses from pawnbrokerage in the pawnbroking industry: extension
- Exceptions to the prescribed minimum viewing period of the auctioned goods in the auctioneering business Admission
- Exemption from the observance of the night's rest for events: granting
- Gaming arcade license
- Notification period of an auction: shortening
- Operation of a trade after the death of the trader without a qualified representative Authorisation
- Organization of a trade fair, exhibition or wholesale market: fixing
- Pawnbroking - Apply for a permit
- Pawnbroking: Extension of the pledge recovery period
- Public holidays: approval - of exceptions to the general rest period
- Undeclared work notification
- Meppen:
- Nordhümmling:
- Apply for a license as a real estate agent, loan broker, property developer, building supervisor or residential property manager
- Apply for a residence permit for conditional admission to study or part-time studies
- Apply for a security permit
- Apply for a travel trade permit for gambling halls
- Applying for re-authorisation of a trade after prohibition
- Auction: Advertisement
- Auctioneer's trade permit in the itinerant trade
- Auctioneering trade - apply for permission
- Business Legitimacy Card Issuance
- Checking the reliability of traders in the case of industries requiring monitoring
- Continuation of a business by proxy Approval
- Cross-border provision of services Notification in the security industry
- Deadline for delivery of surpluses from pawnbrokerage in the pawnbroking industry: extension
- Exceptions to the prescribed minimum viewing period of the auctioned goods in the auctioneering business Admission
- Exemption from the observance of the night's rest for events: granting
- Gaming arcade license
- Notification period of an auction: shortening
- Operation of a trade after the death of the trader without a qualified representative Authorisation
- Organization of a trade fair, exhibition or wholesale market: fixing
- Pawnbroking - Apply for a permit
- Pawnbroking: Extension of the pledge recovery period
- Public holidays: approval - of exceptions to the general rest period
- Undeclared work notification
- Papenburg:
- Rhede (Ems):
- Apply for a license as a real estate agent, loan broker, property developer, building supervisor or residential property manager
- Apply for a residence permit for conditional admission to study or part-time studies
- Apply for a security permit
- Apply for a travel trade permit for gambling halls
- Applying for re-authorisation of a trade after prohibition
- Auction: Advertisement
- Auctioneer's trade permit in the itinerant trade
- Auctioneering trade - apply for permission
- Business Legitimacy Card Issuance
- Checking the reliability of traders in the case of industries requiring monitoring
- Continuation of a business by proxy Approval
- Cross-border provision of services Notification in the security industry
- Deadline for delivery of surpluses from pawnbrokerage in the pawnbroking industry: extension
- Exceptions to the prescribed minimum viewing period of the auctioned goods in the auctioneering business Admission
- Exemption from the observance of the night's rest for events: granting
- Gaming arcade license
- Notification period of an auction: shortening
- Operation of a trade after the death of the trader without a qualified representative Authorisation
- Organization of a trade fair, exhibition or wholesale market: fixing
- Pawnbroking - Apply for a permit
- Pawnbroking: Extension of the pledge recovery period
- Public holidays: approval - of exceptions to the general rest period
- Undeclared work notification
- Salzbergen:
- Apply for a license as a real estate agent, loan broker, property developer, building supervisor or residential property manager
- Apply for a residence permit for conditional admission to study or part-time studies
- Apply for a security permit
- Apply for a travel trade permit for gambling halls
- Applying for re-authorisation of a trade after prohibition
- Auction: Advertisement
- Auctioneer's trade permit in the itinerant trade
- Auctioneering trade - apply for permission
- Business Legitimacy Card Issuance
- Checking the reliability of traders in the case of industries requiring monitoring
- Continuation of a business by proxy Approval
- Cross-border provision of services Notification in the security industry
- Deadline for delivery of surpluses from pawnbrokerage in the pawnbroking industry: extension
- Exceptions to the prescribed minimum viewing period of the auctioned goods in the auctioneering business Admission
- Exemption from the observance of the night's rest for events: granting
- Gaming arcade license
- Notification period of an auction: shortening
- Operation of a trade after the death of the trader without a qualified representative Authorisation
- Organization of a trade fair, exhibition or wholesale market: fixing
- Pawnbroking - Apply for a permit
- Pawnbroking: Extension of the pledge recovery period
- Public holidays: approval - of exceptions to the general rest period
- Undeclared work notification
- Spelle:
- Apply for a license as a real estate agent, loan broker, property developer, building supervisor or residential property manager
- Apply for a residence permit for conditional admission to study or part-time studies
- Apply for a security permit
- Apply for a travel trade permit for gambling halls
- Applying for re-authorisation of a trade after prohibition
- Auction: Advertisement
- Auctioneer's trade permit in the itinerant trade
- Auctioneering trade - apply for permission
- Business Legitimacy Card Issuance
- Checking the reliability of traders in the case of industries requiring monitoring
- Continuation of a business by proxy Approval
- Cross-border provision of services Notification in the security industry
- Deadline for delivery of surpluses from pawnbrokerage in the pawnbroking industry: extension
- Exceptions to the prescribed minimum viewing period of the auctioned goods in the auctioneering business Admission
- Exemption from the observance of the night's rest for events: granting
- Gaming arcade license
- Notification period of an auction: shortening
- Operation of a trade after the death of the trader without a qualified representative Authorisation
- Organization of a trade fair, exhibition or wholesale market: fixing
- Pawnbroking - Apply for a permit
- Pawnbroking: Extension of the pledge recovery period
- Public holidays: approval - of exceptions to the general rest period
- Undeclared work notification
- Sögel:
- Apply for a license as a real estate agent, loan broker, property developer, building supervisor or residential property manager
- Apply for a residence permit for conditional admission to study or part-time studies
- Apply for a security permit
- Apply for a travel trade permit for gambling halls
- Applying for re-authorisation of a trade after prohibition
- Auction: Advertisement
- Auctioneer's trade permit in the itinerant trade
- Auctioneering trade - apply for permission
- Business Legitimacy Card Issuance
- Checking the reliability of traders in the case of industries requiring monitoring
- Continuation of a business by proxy Approval
- Cross-border provision of services Notification in the security industry
- Deadline for delivery of surpluses from pawnbrokerage in the pawnbroking industry: extension
- Exceptions to the prescribed minimum viewing period of the auctioned goods in the auctioneering business Admission
- Exemption from the observance of the night's rest for events: granting
- Gaming arcade license
- Notification period of an auction: shortening
- Operation of a trade after the death of the trader without a qualified representative Authorisation
- Organization of a trade fair, exhibition or wholesale market: fixing
- Pawnbroking - Apply for a permit
- Pawnbroking: Extension of the pledge recovery period
- Public holidays: approval - of exceptions to the general rest period
- Undeclared work notification
- Twist:
- Apply for a license as a real estate agent, loan broker, property developer, building supervisor or residential property manager
- Apply for a residence permit for conditional admission to study or part-time studies
- Apply for a security permit
- Apply for a travel trade permit for gambling halls
- Applying for re-authorisation of a trade after prohibition
- Auction: Advertisement
- Auctioneer's trade permit in the itinerant trade
- Auctioneering trade - apply for permission
- Business Legitimacy Card Issuance
- Checking the reliability of traders in the case of industries requiring monitoring
- Continuation of a business by proxy Approval
- Cross-border provision of services Notification in the security industry
- Deadline for delivery of surpluses from pawnbrokerage in the pawnbroking industry: extension
- Exceptions to the prescribed minimum viewing period of the auctioned goods in the auctioneering business Admission
- Exemption from the observance of the night's rest for events: granting
- Gaming arcade license
- Notification period of an auction: shortening
- Operation of a trade after the death of the trader without a qualified representative Authorisation
- Organization of a trade fair, exhibition or wholesale market: fixing
- Pawnbroking - Apply for a permit
- Pawnbroking: Extension of the pledge recovery period
- Public holidays: approval - of exceptions to the general rest period
- Undeclared work notification
- Werlte:
- Apply for a license as a real estate agent, loan broker, property developer, building supervisor or residential property manager
- Apply for a residence permit for conditional admission to study or part-time studies
- Apply for a security permit
- Apply for a travel trade permit for gambling halls
- Applying for re-authorisation of a trade after prohibition
- Auction: Advertisement
- Auctioneer's trade permit in the itinerant trade
- Auctioneering trade - apply for permission
- Business Legitimacy Card Issuance
- Checking the reliability of traders in the case of industries requiring monitoring
- Continuation of a business by proxy Approval
- Cross-border provision of services Notification in the security industry
- Deadline for delivery of surpluses from pawnbrokerage in the pawnbroking industry: extension
- Exceptions to the prescribed minimum viewing period of the auctioned goods in the auctioneering business Admission
- Exemption from the observance of the night's rest for events: granting
- Gaming arcade license
- Notification period of an auction: shortening
- Operation of a trade after the death of the trader without a qualified representative Authorisation
- Organization of a trade fair, exhibition or wholesale market: fixing
- Pawnbroking - Apply for a permit
- Pawnbroking: Extension of the pledge recovery period
- Public holidays: approval - of exceptions to the general rest period
- Undeclared work notification
Address: Markt 43, 49716 Meppen
Address: Meller Str. 272 , 49082 Osnabrück
Which documents are required?
Documents may be required. Please contact the competent authority.
What are the fees?
Fees may apply. Please contact the relevant authority.
What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?
Deadlines may have to be observed. Please contact the competent authority.
What else should I know?
Information as to whether a business registration or a itinerant trade card is required for a business activity is provided by the municipalities in whose area the company is to be founded.
The Chambers of Crafts advise on the requirement of a register of craftsmen in the exercise of craft activities and their requirements. The addresses of the Chambers of Crafts in Lower Saxony can be found on the Internet at:
