Buy a Company in Germany from the UK: Your Post-Brexit European Company

If you want to buy a company in Germany from the UK, the fastest route is to acquire a clean, ready-made German GmbH and have it transferred to you remotely, without leaving Britain. Since Brexit, UK businesses no longer enjoy automatic access to the EU single market, and many British founders now hold an EU-incorporated company so they can trade, invoice, and clear customs across Europe without friction. Müller Konsult helps UK owners buy ready-made German and DACH companies from start to finish.

To be clear from the outset: this is not buying an operating trading business off a marketplace, and it is not relocating or redomiciling your UK Ltd. It is acquiring a clean shelf company, a brand-new German entity that has never traded, so you own a usable EU company in days. This page is general information, not tax or legal advice; UK tax matters in particular should be confirmed with your own advisers.

Can a UK business buy a company in Germany after Brexit?

Yes. There is no nationality or residency requirement to own a German GmbH. Under the German Limited Liability Companies Act (GmbHG §1), a GmbH can be formed for any lawful purpose by one or more persons, and those persons can live anywhere, including the UK. British citizens and UK companies own German entities every day.

Brexit changed the backdrop, not your right to own. The UK is now outside the EU single market and the customs union, and the relationship runs through the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. UK government guidance for businesses providing services in Germany notes that British firms must meet German authorisation and licensing rules, that recognition of professional qualifications is no longer automatic, and that in some sectors EEA-nationality requirements can restrict the ability to own, manage, or direct a company registered in the EEA. The clean, practical answer to most of this is to own a company that is itself incorporated in the EU. That is exactly what buying a German GmbH gives you.

Why UK founders buy a European company after Brexit

For most UK businesses, an EU entity is the simplest answer to the day-to-day friction Brexit introduced. The common reasons we hear are:

• Restored EU market access. A German company is an EU company, with the single-market standing a UK company alone no longer has.
• Smoother VAT and customs. An EU base, with a VAT number and an EORI number, removes much of the import, export, and VAT friction UK sellers now face.
• An EU counterparty. Many European customers, platforms, and suppliers prefer, or contractually require, an EU-based partner.
• E-commerce into Europe. UK online sellers use an EU entity to hold stock in the EU, register for VAT through the One-Stop-Shop, and ship to EU consumers without per-parcel customs problems.
• Credibility and continuity. A German address and registration signal a serious, lasting European presence.

You keep your UK company if you want to. Most clients run the EU entity alongside it, using each where it works best.

Branch, subsidiary, or buy a ready-made company: which route?

There are three common ways for a UK business to get an EU presence in Germany. They are not equal on speed or independence, and the right one depends on what you are trying to do.

A branch keeps you legally British, which is often the very thing UK founders are trying to move past after Brexit. A new GmbH is a clean EU entity but takes time to register. A ready-made GmbH gives you that same EU entity, already in the commercial register, so the timeline collapses to the few days needed for the share transfer. For most UK buyers in a hurry, that is the practical choice. We also handle company formation in Germany if you prefer to build new.

What you can buy: a German GmbH, UG or a DACH entity

“Buy a company in Germany from the UK” usually means a standard GmbH, but it is not the only option:

• GmbH — the standard German limited liability company, minimum share capital €25,000. The default choice and the focus of GmbH for sale.
• UG (haftungsbeschränkt) — the “mini-GmbH”, which can start with less capital but must build a statutory reserve until it reaches €25,000 (GmbHG §5a). Useful for lighter setups.
• GmbH & Co. KG and AG — partnership and stock-corporation structures for specific tax or investment needs. See types of companies in Germany.

Beyond Germany, the wider European choice is set out in shelf company for sale in Europe. UK e-commerce sellers, in particular, often want a company with a VAT number ready from day one.

Which European country should a UK founder choose?

Germany is the most common pick for UK buyers, simply because it is the EU’s largest market and a German GmbH is a well-understood, credible EU entity. But the DACH region gives you choices:

• Germany (GmbH) — largest EU market, strong banking and supplier base, €25,000 capital.
• Austria (GmbH or FlexCo) — EU member, German-speaking, lower minimum capital (€10,000 since 2024).
• Switzerland (GmbH or AG) — not in the EU, so it does not restore single-market access, but valued for stability and tax; a Swiss company needs a resident director. UK founders asking about buying a company in Switzerland from the UK should weigh that trade-off carefully.
• Liechtenstein — niche, often used for holding and asset structures.

If your goal is EU single-market access after Brexit, an EU member entity (Germany or Austria) does that; Switzerland and Liechtenstein serve different aims. We help you match the jurisdiction to your purpose rather than pushing one answer.

How to buy a German company from the UK, step by step

The process is built to be completed entirely from the UK, with no need to travel:

1. Free consultation. You tell us your goals, EU access, VAT, banking, and we recommend the entity and jurisdiction that fit.
2. Select and check the company. We propose a clean shelf GmbH and run due diligence to confirm it is debt-free, litigation-free, and current on tax.
3. KYC and AML. Under German anti-money-laundering law (the Geldwäschegesetz), we identify the beneficial owners and incoming managers before completion.
4. Share purchase agreement. We draft and sign the SPA covering the shares and all corporate documents.
5. Notarised share transfer. Ownership passes by notarial act under GmbHG §15, completed remotely from the UK by power of attorney or remote notarisation.
6. Register and beneficial-owner update. The new managing director, shareholders, and registered office are filed with the commercial register, with an updated shareholder list and a transparency-register entry.
7. Banking, VAT, EORI and tax. We arrange the bank account, VAT and EORI registration, confirm the tax number, and set up ongoing compliance.

Completing the purchase remotely (notary and power of attorney)

You do not need to fly to Germany. German law requires the share transfer to be recorded in notarial form (GmbHG §15), but this can be handled for a UK buyer through a power of attorney or, where available, remote notarisation. In practice you sign the documents we prepare, often before a UK notary, and we manage the German notary appointment and filings on your behalf. The cross-border paperwork is routine for us.

The shareholder list and beneficial-owner update

After the transfer, an updated list of shareholders (Gesellschafterliste) is filed with the commercial register; this is what third parties rely on to see who owns the company. Separately, the new beneficial owners are reported to the transparency register (Transparenzregister). We complete both, so your ownership is properly recorded. The mechanics are covered in how to buy a company in Germany as a foreigner.

What you need to provide (KYC and AML)

Because German anti-money-laundering rules apply to every purchase, we will ask you to:

• Identify the ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs) with valid passports or ID.
• Provide details of the incoming managing director(s) and shareholders.
• Confirm the planned business activity and company purpose.
• Supply UK proof of address, plus corporate documents and the ownership chain if the buyer is a UK Ltd.
• Show source of funds where the bank requires it.

We coordinate these checks so the file is complete before the notary appointment, which keeps the timeline tight.

Share capital and legal requirements

The figures behind a German GmbH come straight from the GmbHG, and they are worth knowing before you buy:

• Minimum share capital is €25,000 (GmbHG §5). Each share has a nominal value in full euros.
• Before registration, at least one quarter of each share must be paid in, and the total paid in must be at least €12,500 (GmbHG §7). In a shelf company this is already done.
• The company exists only once entered in the commercial register (GmbHG §11). A ready-made GmbH has already crossed that line.
• Liability is limited — the company’s assets alone discharge its obligations (GmbHG §13), so your personal assets are protected.
• At least one managing director (Geschäftsführer) is required (GmbHG §6); that can be you, from the UK, or a local director.

With a ready-made GmbH the capital is already paid in and verified, so you are not arranging a fresh deposit during the purchase.

EU VAT, customs and an EORI number for UK trade

For a UK business, the practical Brexit pain points are VAT and customs, and an EU entity is built to solve them:

• VAT number. A German VAT number (USt-IdNr) lets your company invoice and trade across the EU. For cross-border B2C sales, the EU One-Stop-Shop (OSS) lets you account for VAT in multiple member states through one registration.
• EORI number. Moving goods between the UK and the EU requires an EORI number for customs. An EU-side company with its own EORI removes a recurring source of friction for UK sellers.
• Standard rates. German VAT is 19% (with a reduced 7% rate for certain goods and services); intra-EU B2B services generally use the reverse charge.

Having these in place is the difference between a company that exists on paper and one that can actually trade in Europe. A company with a VAT number is ready to invoice from day one rather than waiting on a fresh registration.

Banking and a local director for UK owners

Opening a European business bank account as a non-resident takes preparation; it is usually the slowest part of starting up for a UK owner. We prepare your banking file properly and, where it suits you, can offer a company with a bank account already in place, which removes the main hurdle. A nominee or local director can also help satisfy a bank’s requirements and give the company a clear local presence, which matters for some banks dealing with overseas owners. For the wider picture, see our guide to opening a business bank account in Germany.

A UK business wanting EU access? Request a free callback with our lawyers, with no commitment. Talk to our team.

What the purchase includes, and what costs extra

Many providers either hide their prices or quote a single “from” figure with no breakdown. We prefer to show the logic. It helps to see the cost as two parts: what is built into every purchase, and the optional extras you choose.

A key point: the share capital is not a fee. It belongs to the company and works in its business once you own it, so a large part of any honest price is simply the capital that ends up yours; the service element is modest by comparison. For a full breakdown of the cost drivers, see our shelf company cost guide, and contact us for a transparent, all-inclusive quote.

UK-side tax: what to check at home

This is the part where you should involve your own advisers. Owning a German company has UK tax consequences that depend on your personal and corporate position. UK residents are generally taxed on worldwide income, and the UK has controlled-foreign-company rules that can apply where a UK group controls an overseas subsidiary. None of that prevents a UK founder from owning a German company; it simply means the UK side should be planned alongside the German side. We handle the German and DACH structuring and coordinate with your UK accountant or tax adviser so the two fit together. This is general information, not UK tax advice.

Ongoing compliance after you buy

Buying the company is the start, not the finish. A German GmbH carries real ongoing obligations that most sellers never mention, and we stay with you for them:

• Bookkeeping and accounting to German standards.
• Annual financial statements and their filing.
• Tax returns — corporate income tax, trade tax, and VAT — and dealings with the tax office.
• Register and transparency-register upkeep whenever ownership or management changes.
• Amendments to the articles, company name, registered office, or activities.
• Legal representation for the company, including acting as liquidator if you ever wind it down.

The aim is to keep your company in good standing in Germany long after handover, with one accountable point of contact in the EU.

Why buy through a lawyer-led provider

There is no shortage of websites selling German companies, and some are little more than checkout pages. For a cross-border purchase from the UK, where the entity will carry real legal and tax weight, who you buy from matters. With Müller Konsult you get legal sourcing grounded in the actual GmbHG sections cited on this page; genuine due diligence so you are not inheriting a hidden problem; transparent pricing rather than a vague “from” figure; cross-border experience handling remote, non-resident purchases; and a named, accountable lawyer with a real Düsseldorf office, not an anonymous form. That combination is the difference between buying a company and buying one safely.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• UK Government — doing business and providing services in Germany after EU exit — gov.uk
• German Limited Liability Companies Act (GmbHG), official English text — gesetze-im-internet.de
• German Commercial Register (Handelsregister) — handelsregister.de
• Germany Trade & Invest — establishing a company in Germany — gtai.de

Ready to buy your European company from the UK?

Contact Müller Konsult for a clean, ready-made German or DACH company you can own and run from Britain. We assess your goals, recommend the right entity, and complete the purchase remotely. Müller Konsult · Königsallee 27, 40212 Düsseldorf · +49 211 5403 8800 · info@gmbhforsale.com · Request a callback

Reviewed by Stefan Stelthove, Corporate & Commercial Lawyer, Müller Konsult. Last updated 7 June 2026. This is general information, not tax or legal advice.

Related: GmbH for sale · Shelf company for sale in Europe · Company with a VAT number · How to buy a company as a foreigner · Business bank account in Germany