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 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.

Associations

Legal forms

Legal form (German)	Description
Eingetragener Verein (e.V.)	Registered association
Nicht eingetragener Verein	Unregistered association
Gemeinnütziger Verein	Charitable association
Stiftung	Foundation

Accepted documents

Document type (German)	Description	Details
Auszug aus dem Vereinsregister*	Proof of registration*	Must be issued by the Vereinsregister (association register). Must be the latest available extract. Confirm there are no dissolution or liquidation flags. Retrieved by Swan when available; otherwise provided by the account holder.
Vereinssatzung*	Articles of Association (statutes)*	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. Provided by the account holder.
Gründungsprotokoll / Errichtungsurkunde	Founding deed	Required when founding documents aren't included in the statutes or register extract. Provided by the account holder.
Protokoll der Mitgliederversammlung	General meeting minutes	Required when governance or representation powers aren't clear from the register extract. Must be the latest version. Should show names, roles, effective mandate date, and signatures. Provided by the account holder.
Vorstandswahlprotokoll	Board or president appointment decision	Required when the register extract doesn't clearly show current board members or representation powers. Provided by the account holder.
Organisationsstruktur / Organigramm	Governance structure documentation	Required when the association's governance structure is complex or not clear from other documents. Provided by the account holder.
Mitgliederliste / Aufnahmeordnung	Membership list / admission rules	Provided by the account holder.
Personalausweis / Reisepass des Kontoverwalters*	Account administrator identity document*	Must be a valid identity document in color. Both sides, if applicable. Provided by the account holder.
Identitätsprüfung des Kontoverwalters*	Account administrator identity verification*	Provided via eID, PostIdent, VideoIdent, or expert verification. Provided by the account holder.
Personalausweis des gesetzlichen Vertreters*	Identity document of the legal representative*	Must be a valid identity document in color. Both sides, if applicable. Provided by the account holder.
Vertretungsbescheinigung*	Legal representative authority*	Must confirm representation powers granted to the legal representative. Must be dated. Provided by the account holder.
Vollmacht zur Kontoeröffnung	Power of Attorney	Required when the person opening the account is not a legal board member (Vorstand). The Power of Attorney must clearly grant account-opening and management powers. Must be signed by the correct legal representative(s). Must be dated within the last year. Provided by the account holder.
Transparenzregisterauszug	UBO declaration (transparency register extract)	Provided by the account holder.
Mittelherkunftsnachweis	Source of funds evidence	Provided by the account holder.
Aktivitäts- und Finanzierungsfragebogen	Activity and funding questionnaire	Provided by the account holder.
Finanzberichte / Jahresabschluss	Annual accounts / financial statements	Most recent annual report or balance sheet. Provided by the account holder.
Kontoauszüge	Bank statements	3-6 months of statements. Provided by the account holder.
Spender- / Begünstigtenregister	Donor / beneficiary registers	Provided by the account holder.
Formular für politisch exponierte Personen (PEP)	Politically Exposed Person (PEP) form	Sent to the user (based on your communication preferences). Must be dated and signed.

Homeowners associations

Document retrieval for homeowners associations

German homeowners associations (WEG) aren't registered in the Handelsregister, so Swan can't retrieve their documents. The account holder provides all documents listed in this section.

Legal forms

Legal form (German)	Description
Wohnungseigentümergemeinschaft (WEG)	Homeowners association

Accepted documents

Document type (German)	Description	Details
Grundbuchauszug*	Proof of registration*	Official registration document showing the homeowners association is active. Must be dated. Provided by the account holder.
Teilungserklärung	Declaration of division	The founding document of the homeowners association. Must be the most recently published version. Provided by the account holder.
Protokoll der Eigentümerversammlung*	Owners' meeting minutes*	Must be the most recent, within the last 2 years. Should show the appointed property manager (Verwalter) or board members, their roles, and signatures. Provided by the account holder.
Verwaltervertrag oder Bestellungsbeschluss	Property manager contract or appointment resolution	Required to confirm who manages the association and has authority to open an account. Must be signed and dated. Provided by the account holder.
Vollmacht und Personalausweis des Kontoeröffners	Power of Attorney and ID of the account opener	Required when the account opener isn't the property manager or a directly authorized board member. The Power of Attorney must clearly grant account-opening and management powers. Must be signed by the correct representative(s). Must be dated within the last year. Provided by the account holder.
Personalausweis des gesetzlichen Vertreters*	Identity document of the legal representative*	Must be a valid identity document in color. Both sides, if applicable. Provided by the account holder.

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.