Germany > Freelancers > The performance of activities with a foreign trade license
Activities with a Foreign Trade Licence (Handwerkskammer) – freelancers
Are you planning to carry out a regulated activity in Germany? We can help you get a permit.
Business activities also in the territory of Germany
With a trade licence from your home country, you can also carry out business activities in the territory of Germany, as long as they are registered as free activities in Germany. If the activity is a regulated activity under German law, you must report the activity to the German Chamber of Crafts competent according to the first place of work in Germany before the work is carried out.
The chamber will examine whether your previous experience and education qualify you to carry out cross-border work and, if so, issue you with a certificate valid for one year, during which time you can carry out the activity in Germany as a foreign entrepreneur.
Another important consideration when carrying out activities with a foreign trade licence is the maximum permitted duration of the work in Germany from an income tax perspective. Here, you can work for one customer at one location, or several locations up to 50 km apart, for a maximum of 12 months to avoid having to tax your income in Germany.
Frequently asked questions
When must a self-employed person notify the German Handwerkskammer of their activity?
Notification is required when a self-employed person established in another EU or EEA state temporarily provides a regulated craft service in Germany. The notification must be submitted to the competent Handwerkskammer before the service is provided for the first time. We check the trade and arrange the required notification.
Which Handwerkskammer is responsible for a foreign self-employed person?
The first notification is submitted to the Handwerkskammer responsible for the place where the craft service is to be provided for the first time in Germany. Jurisdiction is therefore determined by the specific engagement, not only by the self-employed person’s home address. We identify the correct Handwerkskammer and handle communications with it.
How long is a self-employed person’s notification of craft activity valid in Germany?
If the self-employed person continues to provide regulated craft services, the notification generally has to be renewed annually. Changes in material circumstances must be notified to the Handwerkskammer. We check the notification’s validity and prepare its renewal.
What documents does a self-employed person need for notification to the Handwerkskammer?
The required documents depend on the trade and the person’s professional circumstances. The Handwerkskammer may request evidence of lawful establishment in the home country and evidence of professional qualifications or the required experience. We check the requirements of the relevant Handwerkskammer and help compile the documents.