GmbH Check: Verify a German Company by HRB Number (2026)

Reading time: 6 minutes

Every German GmbH has a Handelsregisternummer (HRB) filed at the local Amtsgericht. It is the single most reliable proof the company legally exists.

Verification steps

• Read the HRB from the supplier's Impressum
• Search it on unternehmensregister.de (free, official)
• Confirm "eingetragen" and not "in Auflösung" (liquidation)
• Cross-check the managing directors named

USt-IdNr check

Validate the VAT ID (USt-IdNr) via the EU VIES system - a valid ID confirms the company is VAT-registered for cross-border trade.

Red flags

• No HRB or HRB that returns nothing
• Different named directors than the Impressum
• "Briefkasten" address only
• Refuses to share USt-IdNr

About the Author: Arshiya Sabaghi is the founder of German Industry Hub. With an MSc in Sales Management and experience at McKinsey & Company (Industrial AI), Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, and AkkoNobel, he connects international buyers with verified German manufacturers. Based in Amsterdam. Native German, English, Dutch, and Persian.