Proof of registration for German companies

Document retrieval

For companies registered in 🇩🇪 Germany, Swan independently retrieves all required documents. If retrieval isn't possible, Swan may request the documents. For self-employed individuals and freelancers, users must provide all listed mandatory documents themselves.

Mandatory documents

Documents marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory, meaning they are required to verify an account holder, regardless of how they're retrieved. Other documents are optional but may still be retrieved by Swan or requested on a case-by-case basis.

Documents must be written in the Latin alphabet, and must be comprehensive, accurate, and compliant with legal requirements.

Companies

Legal forms

Legal form (German)	Description
Offene Handelsgesellschaft (oHG)	General partnership
Kommanditgesellschaft (KG)	Limited partnership
Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH)	Limited Liability Company
Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung & Compagnie Kommanditgesellschaft (GmbH & Co. KG)	Limited Partnership with a Limited Liability Company as General Partner
Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung & Compagnie offene Handelsgesellschaft (GmbH & Co. oHG)	General Partnership with a Limited Liability Company as General Partner
Unternehmergesellschaft (haftungsbeschränkt) (UG)	Entrepreneurial Company (limited liability)
Aktiengesellschaft (AG)	Joint-stock Company
Societas Europaea (SE)	European Company
Europäische wirtschaftliche Interessenvereinigung (EWIV)	European Economic Interest Grouping
Societas Cooperativa Europaea (SCE)	European Cooperative Society
Genossenschaft	Cooperative Society
Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Rechts (eGbR)	Registered Civil Law Partnership
Eingetragener Kaufmann	Registered merchant

Accepted documents

Document type (German)	Description	Details
Nachweis der Firmenregistrierung*	Proof of Company Registration*	Must be issued by the Handelsregister/Transparenzregister.
Gesellschaftsvertrag / Satzungen	Articles of Association	Must be stamped and signed by a notary Or uploaded from the official source. Must be the most recently published version, or dated within the last 6 months if amendments have been made.
UBO-Zertifikat*	Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBO) certificate*	Must include all direct and indirect UBOs (ownership ≥25%).
Personalausweis der wirtschaftlich Berechtigten (UBOs)	Identity documents of UBOs	Valid identity documents in color Both sides if applicable.
Vollmacht Personalausweis	Power of Attorney and ID of the legal representative	Required if the legal representative is not the account holder.
Formular für politisch exponierte Personen (PEP)	Politically Exposed Person (PEP) form	Will be sent to the end user (based on communication preferences). Must be dated and signed.
Finanzberichte (z.B. Steuererklärung)	Financial statements	Most recent annual report or balance sheet.
Eidesstattliche Erklärung	Sworn statement	Must be signed and dated within the last 3 months.
Organigramm des Unternehmens	Company structure chart	An internal company document showing the holding structure.

Self-employed individuals and freelancers

Legal forms

Legal form (German)	Description
Freiberufler	Liberal professionals or freelancers
Selbständig/Gewerbetreibende	Self-employed in trade or business
Partnerschaft	Partnership
Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Rechts (GbR)	Civil law partnership

Accepted documents

Document type (German)	Description	Details
Gewerbeschein*	Business or trade license*	Required for self-employed in trade or business Also for GbR, if available Must be issued by local authorities and dated.
Berufsanmeldung or Berufszulassung*	Professional registration or professional license*	Required for regulated liberal professionals or freelancers.
Freiberufler-registrierung*	Freelancer registration*	Required for liberal professionals or freelancers.
Satzung der Gesellschaft	Articles of Association	For Partnerships (Partnerschaft). Must be dated and signed. Must be the most recently published version. If amendments have been made, it must be dated within the last 6 months.
Bescheinigung über die steuerliche Erfassung*	Tax registration certificate*	Required for liberal professionals or freelancers Issued by the Finanzamt.
Brief vom Finanzamt*	Letter from the tax office*	Letter confirming tax ID or VAT number.
Steuerbescheid	Tax declaration (most recent)	Must be issued by the tax office and dated within the last year.

Additional documentation

Depending on the company type, business activity, and applicable regulations, Swan may request additional documentation at any stage of the account lifecycle. The documents listed on these pages are standard requirements — not an exhaustive list.