Imprint obligations – new “Business-ID”
In Germany, the imprint obligations for non-private websites have been extended to include a “Business-ID”.
Disclaimer: We are not lawyers. Ask your tax or legal advisor for binding information. We seek advice from eRecht24, among others.
The Business-ID is a unique number that all economically active persons and companies in Germany automatically receive. It remains valid regardless of changes such as relocation or marital status and is permanent. The number consists of the country code “DE”, a nine-digit number and a five-digit suffix for individual activities. It does not replace other numbers such as the tax number or VAT ID, but is in addition to them.
Questions and answers
Where can I get my Business-ID?
- With VAT ID before November 30, 2024: Your Business-ID will correspond to your existing VAT ID from December 3, 2024.
- Without VAT ID: From December 1, 2024, the Business-ID will be issued via the ELSTER platform if you are registered there for tax purposes.
- Other cases: From July 1, 2025, all other economic operators will automatically receive their Business-ID.
Imprint obligation:
- Do you have a VAT ID: The Business-ID does not have to be stated in the legal notice.
- No VAT ID: The Business-ID must appear in the legal notice as soon as it has been assigned to you.
- Purely private websites: No measures necessary.
What should you do?
- Wait for the number to be assigned automatically.
- Check whether your VAT ID is already listed in the legal notice.
- Otherwise, update the legal notice immediately after receiving the Business-ID.
Additional information for TBA customers:
- For customers with a design or maintenance contract with TBA:
As soon as you have received your Business-ID, you can simply send it to us. We will take care of entering the number correctly in your legal notice. - For all other customers:
You would enter the Business-ID yourself in the legal notice or commission us separately to update it. - If your VAT ID is already in the legal notice: Then, as far as we know, there is no need to change it.
