• Completed application form
• Copy of identity card or comparable identification document
• Current excerpt from the commercial or cooperative register, if the company is entered in the register; otherwise a copy of the articles of association (e.g. for a civil law partnership (GbR))
• If the company is based abroad: documents from the country of domicile that prove the legal form
• Extract from the Federal Central Criminal Register (certificate of good conduct) for submission to an authority for each person responsible for managing the business or a branch office (for legal entities: for all persons authorised to represent the company by law, articles of association or partnership agreement)
• Extract from the central trade register for each person responsible for managing the business or a branch (in the case of legal entities: for the legal entity itself and for all persons authorised to represent it by law, articles of association or partnership agreement)
• Certificate in tax matters from the responsible tax office
• Extract from the debtor register of the central enforcement court
• Information from the insolvency court as to whether proceedings have been opened
• Clearance certificate from the municipal tax office
• If you live abroad: documents from your home country that prove your personal reliability

• If you are applying for a travelling trade licence as a showman or showwoman: additional proof or proof that you have taken out public liability insurance (financial loss liability insurance)

The competent authority may request further documents to verify personal reliability.

In the case of legal entities (limited liability companies, business companies, public limited companies, registered co-operatives), you only need to complete the application form for the legal entity itself. You must submit all personal documents for all natural persons authorised to manage the company (e.g. identity papers). For the legal entity, you also need an extract from the central trade register.

Partnerships (GbR, KG, OHG, PartG, GmbH Co. KG) are not eligible for authorisation as such. Therefore, each managing partner requires a licence. You must submit a completed application form and all personal documents for each of these persons.