Start a Business / Register a Trade in Wuppertal

Before you start: Are you a tradesperson or freelancer? This determines what you need to register and which taxes you pay.

The trade must be registered BEFORE starting the activity. This takes 10–20 minutes at the trade office. Costs only €20–40 and is the first official step into self-employment!

After trade registration the tax office automatically sends a 'tax registration questionnaire'. You must complete this. As a freelancer you do this directly – without prior trade registration.

Separate private and business money from the start. A separate business account saves you enormous time for taxes and accounting – and it looks more professional to clients.

Document all income and expenses from the start. This sounds laborious, but with the right tools it takes just minutes per week. Clean accounting = less stress at tax time.

Manual bookkeeping wastes time and causes errors. Modern tools let you capture receipts by photo, create invoices in seconds and stay ready for tax returns.

As self-employed you are no longer covered by your employer. Check which insurance you need – some are mandatory, others highly recommended.

Your first invoice – congratulations! Every invoice must contain certain mandatory information, otherwise the client cannot deduct it as business expense (which makes them unhappy).

The Rürup pension (basic pension) is particularly interesting for the self-employed and high earners. Contributions of up to €27,566 (2024) are tax-deductible – making it the most efficient retirement provision for high incomes.

As a business owner you carry risks not covered privately. Business liability, financial loss liability, contents insurance and cyber insurance – depending on your industry you need different cover.