Deregister business
If you wish to cease operating your business, you are obliged to deregister your business.
The same applies if you relocate the headquarters of your business or a branch office or dependent branch of your company to a new location and this results in the jurisdiction of a different municipality. First deregister your trade or business at the previous location. Then register it again at the new location.
If you change the legal form of your business, a business deregistration is also required. You must first deregister your business under the previous legal form. You then re-register your business under the new legal form. If you relocate the headquarters of your business or a branch office or a dependent branch of your company to a new location without changing the jurisdiction within the municipality, a business re-registration is sufficient.
The deregistration must be carried out by the following persons or their authorised representatives:
- in the case of sole traders, by the trader themselves,
- by the legal representatives in the case of corporations (e.g. GmbH, AG).
In the case of partnerships (e.g. OHG, KG, GbR/BGB-Gesellschaft, GmbH & Co. KG), business deregistrations must be carried out by all partners authorised to manage the business.
Responsible department
the municipal/city administration of the previous place of business
Details
Prerequisite
- Dissolution of your business or
- Relocation of your registered office or the registered office of a branch or dependent branch outside the previous municipality or
- Change in the legal form of your business
Procedure
You can deregister your business in person, online, by post or fax. You can also deregister via the network of single points of contact.
- If you deregister in person or in writing, you must complete and personally sign the "Business Deregistration" form (GewA 3). The "GewA 3" form is available at the office responsible for deregistration or, depending on the service, can also be downloaded.
- You will receive a certificate of receipt for your business deregistration from the responsible office.
- The office responsible for deregistration forwards the business deregistration to other offices, such as the tax office, the employers' liability insurance association, the Chamber of Crafts or the Chamber of Industry and Commerce and, if applicable, the registry court.
Deadlines
You are obliged to deregister your business at the time of the dissolution of the business or at the time of the relocation of the business to the jurisdiction of another municipality or the change of legal form.
Required documents
- Proof of identity (e.g. identity card or passport with registration certificate). In the case of electronic business re-registration, the competent authority may use other suitable and appropriate procedures to establish identity (e.g. PIN/TAN procedure, the electronic ID function, De-Mail or a self-declaration of identity).
- Copy of the extract from the commercial register if your company is entered in the commercial register (also: register of co-operatives, register of associations, register of foundations)
Costs
The amount of the fees is based on the municipal fee statutes.
Processing time
If you have completed the form correctly and your documents are complete, the authorities will immediately certify receipt of your deregistration if you visit them in person. If you deregister in writing or electronically, you will receive confirmation of receipt of your business deregistration within 3 days.
Miscellaneous
If the cessation of the business is clearly established and you do not deregister your business, the deregistration is carried out ex officio.
Legal basis
Gewerbeordnung (GewO):
- § 14 Anzeigepflicht
- § 15 Empfangsbescheinigung
- § 55c Anzeigepflicht bei Reisegewerbe
- § 6b Absatz 1 GewO und § 71a ff. LVwVfG in Verbindung mit §§ 1 ff. des Gesetzes über einheitliche Ansprechpartner für das Land Baden-Württemberg (EAG BW) (Verfahren über eine einheitliche Stelle, einheitliche Ansprechpartner)
Gewerbeanzeigeverordnung (GewAnzV)
Landesverwaltungsverfahrensgesetz (LVwVfG):
- § 3a elektronische Kommunikation
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Wirtschaftsministerium Baden-Württemberg, 06.03.2025