WZ Classification

The WZ Classification (Classification of Economic Activities) is the official system for systematically categorizing all economic activities in Germany. Based on the European NACE Rev.2 and issued in the WZ 2008 version by the Federal Statistical Office, the WZ Code provides a five-digit, hierarchically structured code that allows each company to be precisely assigned to an industry, e.g., 47.11 for retail sale of food. Public authorities such as the tax office, trade office, chambers of commerce, and trade associations use the WZ Code to compile statistics, manage funding programs, or calculate contributions. The WZ Code is not listed or published in the commercial registry.

The handelsregister.ai API, in AI mode, provides one or more WZ Codes for each registered company, precisely identifying its primary and secondary economic activities according to the nationwide classification of economic activities. This enables developers to form industry clusters, automate market analyses, and integrate search filters in applications tailored specifically for industry-specific searches in the commercial registry.