I want to start my own business in which I want to sell some things, which can be used in home decoration. My questions: 1. Do I need to register a company? If yes - of what type or under which section? 2. Can I sell my item in public place or in any shopping mall? If yes - do I need permission for that? 3. As I don't know the German language - is it necessary to know German to do this type of business? I am on dependent visa.
Before you can set up a business in Germany you need to register as a self-employed entrepreneur. Therefore you will need to contact your local trade office (Gewerbeamt): www.existenzgruender.de
The Authority Finder will guide you towards the authorities you’ll need to deal with and will tell you where they are: www.bmwi-wegweiser.de
Please notice: Each business in Germany has its own legal structure. The legal structure provides a framework for dealing with legal matters. The decision on the legal structure of your business has significant implications - it will, for example, determine how much equity you need and whether you are personally liable for your business. The Startup Portal contains an overview of common legal structures: www.existenzgruender.de
Detailed information for freelancers is available on the service-bw homepage: www.service-bw.de
Before you choose a legal form for your business, it may make sense to consult a lawyer or tax advisor.
Besides, there are many public information centres which will advise you as you set up your own business (www.make-it-in-germany.com).
On the Startup Portal, under “advice and information”, you will find the contact information of regional and national information centres for entrepreneurs with a migrant background (www.existenzgruender.de). A general contact list is available on the Startup Portal: www.existenzgruender.de
Similarly, the Authority Finder will also tell you about your nearest information centre: www.bmwi-wegweiser.de
Regarding your dependet visa: If you are in possession of a residence permit that is granted to you as an accompanying family member, you are entitled to take up any kind of employment in Germany. That means that you are also allowed to set up a business. If you are not sure about your current visa status, please contact you competent foreigner office (Ausländerbehörde) to make sure, that this also applies to you.
Regarding you questions about the language skills, it highly depends on how you want to run your business. If you want to talk, for example, to German customers, you should at least have a very good knowledge of German. Nonetheless, keep in mind that for setting up your own business, a good knowledge of German never hurts. Even as you prepare your business, you will find that many official documents are available in German only. If your German isn’t good enough yet, you should make sure to take a language course before you set up your business. Some advanced courses have a special focus on the business world (www.make-it-in-germany.com).
Furthermore, step by step information regarding setting up a business in Germany is available on "Make it in Germany": www.make-it-in-germany.com
Source: Justina Alichniewicz
Projekt „Make it in Germany“
Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Köln e.V.
November 2016
