How to Buy a Company in Germany as a Foreigner

To buy a company in Germany as a foreigner, you acquire the shares of an existing German limited company (a GmbH) through a notarised share transfer, complete the anti-money-laundering checks, and update the commercial register. There is no nationality or residency requirement to own a German company, and the whole process can be done from abroad. This guide walks through the steps, the documents you need, the cost, and the parts that genuinely take time.

One point to settle first. “Buying a company in Germany” can mean three different things: taking over a clean, ready-made shelf company that has never traded; buying an operating business with customers and history; or forming a brand-new company. This page is mainly about the first route, which is what most foreign founders mean and the fastest way into the German market.

Can a foreigner buy a company in Germany?

Yes. German company law places no nationality or residency requirement on who may own a GmbH, so a foreigner, a non-EU citizen, or a non-resident can hold all the shares. You can be the sole owner, and you can also serve as the managing director from abroad. Citizens of India, the UAE, the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore and almost anywhere else buy German companies this way every year.

It helps to separate two questions that are often confused. Owning a German company is one thing and is open to everyone. Living or working in Germany is a separate matter that depends on immigration law, not on whether you own a business. We cover that distinction in detail below.

What you can buy: shelf company, trading business, or a new company

The right route depends on how much speed and how clean a record you need. A shelf company is a pre-registered GmbH (a Vorratsgesellschaft) that has never traded, so it carries no debts and no history. An operating business already has customers, contracts and a track record, but you inherit its past, which calls for far deeper due diligence. Forming a new company means starting from zero and waiting out registration.

For most foreign buyers, the shelf company wins on speed and certainty. If you would rather build from scratch, see company formation in Germany for foreigners; if you want the commercial entry point, start at GmbH for sale.

Who buys a German company this way?

This route suits foreign and non-EU investors who want a German or EU entity without relocating, entrepreneurs who must sign a lease or contract quickly, and companies expanding into the DACH region. It also suits buyers who simply want a clean company with verified, paid-in capital and no inherited problems. Whatever your country of origin, the same legal steps apply. To compare the available structures first, see types of companies in Germany.

How to buy a company in Germany: the step-by-step process

The acquisition follows a clear sequence from first call to handover:

1. Consultation and selection. You tell us your goals; we propose a clean GmbH that is debt-free, litigation-free and current on tax, or assess a target business if you are buying one.
2. Due diligence. We review the company’s legal, financial and tax position so you know exactly what you are buying. This is what “clean” actually means.
3. Share purchase agreement. We draft and sign the SPA, and prepare a power of attorney if you are abroad.
4. Notarial share transfer. Ownership passes by notarial act, mandatory under GmbHG §15. Remote and power-of-attorney options are available for buyers outside Germany.
5. Register and beneficial-owner update. The new managing director, shareholders and registered office are filed with the Handelsregister, an updated shareholder list is submitted, and the transparency register is updated.
6. Bank account and VAT. A business account is opened or transferred, and we confirm the VAT and tax registrations carry over correctly to you.
7. Handover and ongoing support. You receive all company documents and we continue with tax-office registration, accounting and compliance.

Why the purchase goes through a notary

German law does not allow a GmbH to change hands by a private contract. The transfer of the shares, and even the agreement obliging someone to transfer them, must be recorded in notarial form (GmbHG §15). That requirement exists to give certainty and to deter fraud, which is why every legitimate purchase of a German company runs through a notary, including remote ones.

Updating the register and beneficial-owner record

After the transfer, an updated list of shareholders (Gesellschafterliste) is filed with the commercial register. This list is what the register and third parties rely on to see who owns the company, so filing it correctly is what secures your ownership. Separately, the new beneficial owners are reported to the transparency register (Transparenzregister). We handle both. The mechanics are set out in GmbH share transfer.

What documents you need to provide (KYC and AML)

German anti-money-laundering rules (the Geldwäschegesetz) apply to every company purchase, so before the notary appointment you will be asked to supply:

• A valid passport or national ID for the ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs).
• Details of the incoming managing director(s) and shareholders.
• Confirmation of the planned business activity and company purpose.
• Proof of address, plus corporate documents and the ownership chain if the buyer is a company.
• A source-of-funds declaration where the bank or notary requires it.

We coordinate the know-your-customer checks and the communication with authorities so your file is complete before signing. Getting this right early is usually what keeps a remote purchase fast.

Buying remotely or by power of attorney

You do not need to be in Germany, or to travel there, to buy a German company. The standard solution is a power of attorney: you authorise a representative to sign the notarial share transfer on your behalf, after your identity has been verified. Some notaries also offer remote online procedures for certain steps. This is what makes buying a German company practical for someone in Mumbai, Dubai or New York who never sets foot in Düsseldorf.

In practice, the timeline for a remote purchase depends on how quickly your identity and corporate documents clear the KYC review, not on travel. Once the documents are signed and the register is updated, the company is yours to operate. If speed is critical, see our same-day shelf company option.

Share capital and legal requirements

The legal framework for a German GmbH comes straight from the GmbH Act (GmbHG), and a few figures are worth knowing before you buy:

• Minimum share capital is €25,000 (GmbHG §5). With a shelf company this is already paid in and verified, so you are not arranging a fresh deposit.
• Before a GmbH can be registered, at least one quarter of each share and a total of at least €12,500 must be paid in (GmbHG §7). Again, in a shelf company this is done.
• The company exists only once it is entered in the commercial register (GmbHG §11). A shelf company has already crossed that line, which is why you can use it immediately.
• Liability is limited: the company’s assets alone discharge its obligations (GmbHG §13), protecting the owners’ personal assets.
• A managing director is required — every GmbH must have at least one Geschäftsführer (GmbHG §6), and a foreigner can hold that role, including from outside Germany.

Cost and timeline

Buyers often tell us that the hardest part of researching this is that providers either hide prices or quote a single “from” figure. 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 capital that ends up serving you. For the figures, see our shelf company cost guide. On timing, a shelf company transfer typically completes within a few days of the notary appointment once KYC is cleared; an operating business takes longer because of the deeper review.

Researching your own move into Germany? Request a free callback with our lawyers, with no commitment. Talk to our team.

Does owning a German company give you residency?

No, not by itself. Owning a German company and living in Germany are governed by different rules. You can own and run a GmbH from abroad with no residence permit at all. If you do want to relocate, ownership can support an immigration application, but it does not create one automatically.

There are two main routes. A salaried managing-director role can qualify you for an EU Blue Card if your gross salary meets the threshold (€50,700 in 2026, or €45,934.20 for shortage occupations and qualifying IT roles). Alternatively, running your own business can support a self-employment residence permit under §21 of the Residence Act, which weighs the economic interest of the venture, its financing and a viable business plan; applicants over 45 must also show old-age provision. We explain the options in our guide to the business visa for company owners.

This section is general information, not immigration advice. Immigration rules change and outcomes depend on your circumstances; we cannot guarantee any visa or residence grant.

Bank account, VAT and tax number for foreign owners

A company can only trade once it can move money and invoice, and for foreign owners the registrations are often the slowest part of starting up. We will be straight with you: opening a German business account as a non-resident can take time, banks differ in how they treat foreign owners, and no provider can promise a particular bank will say yes.

• Bank account. To avoid the wait, many buyers choose a shelf company with a bank account already in place, and a nominee or local director can help satisfy a bank’s requirements.
• VAT number. A company with a VAT number (USt-IdNr) lets you invoice and trade across the EU without waiting for a fresh registration.
• Tax number. Where the company already holds a tax number (Steuernummer), you avoid the wait a brand-new company faces, and we confirm the registrations carry over to you. For cross-border goods, an EORI number is added for customs.

Buying a company in Germany from your country

The legal steps are the same wherever you are, but the practical details, document legalisation and banking can differ by country. We publish dedicated guidance for several markets, including buying a European company from India, the UAE, Singapore, the UK, and the United States. Each one covers the same acquisition process from that country’s starting point.

After the purchase: ongoing compliance

Buying the company is the start, not the finish, and a German GmbH carries real obligations that marketplace listings rarely mention. After handover you will need to keep proper books and accounting, prepare and file annual financial statements, submit tax returns (corporate income tax, trade tax and VAT), and keep the commercial register and transparency register up to date when ownership or management changes. We can handle all of it so the entity stays in good standing, long after the purchase is done.

Why use a lawyer-led adviser

There is no shortage of websites selling German companies, and some are little more than checkout pages. A GmbH is a real legal entity with real obligations, so who guides the purchase matters. A lawyer-led adviser gives you sourcing grounded in the actual law, genuine due diligence so you are not inheriting a hidden problem, transparent pricing rather than a vague “from” figure, real handling of remote and non-EU purchases, and a named, accountable person behind the work. That combination is the difference between buying a company and buying one safely.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• German Limited Liability Companies Act (GmbHG), official English text — gesetze-im-internet.de
• German Commercial Register (Handelsregister) — handelsregister.de
• Transparency register (Transparenzregister) — transparenzregister.de

Ready to buy a German company from abroad?

Contact Müller Konsult for a fully compliant, ready-made German company. We assess your goals, propose the right entity, and guide you through every step, remotely if you prefer. 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.

Related: GmbH for sale · Shelf company Germany · GmbH share transfer · Shelf vs new company · Open a bank account in Germany