Institut für Stiftungsberatung Dr. Mecking & Weger GmbH

When are statements due?

Corporations such as GmbH, UG and AG generally have to disclose their accounts. The usual deadline is twelve months after the fiscal year ends; capital-market-oriented companies have shorter deadlines. A newly formed company may therefore not have filed its first statement yet.

What is published at each company size?

Size classes depend on total assets, annual revenue and average employee numbers. Generally, at least two of the three thresholds must be met on two consecutive reporting dates. Special rules apply to newly formed companies and certain reorganisations.

Micro-companies

up to €450,000 total assets · €900,000 revenue · 10 employees May meet their disclosure obligation by depositing a balance sheet. It can be retrieved from the Unternehmensregister after registration and payment of a fee. A profit and loss statement does not have to be disclosed, so only limited figures may be available.

Small companies

up to €7.5 million total assets · €15 million revenue · 50 employees Generally disclose a balance sheet and notes, with permitted simplifications. They do not have to disclose their profit and loss statement. Revenue is therefore often absent from public filings, although some profit figures may still appear in the balance sheet.

Medium-sized companies

up to €25 million total assets · €50 million revenue · 250 employees Disclose a balance sheet, profit and loss statement, notes and management report, with statutory simplifications. Revenue and certain expenses may be combined into a gross-result figure in the profit and loss statement.

Large companies

Exceed at least two of the limits for medium-sized companies. Generally disclose full annual accounts, including the balance sheet, profit and loss statement and notes, together with a management report. Capital-market-oriented companies are generally classified as large.

These thresholds generally apply to fiscal years starting in 2024 or later; early application was permitted for 2023. Some thresholds were lower for older statements.

Other legal forms and exemptions

Sole traders and partnerships with a natural person bearing unlimited liability generally fall outside the disclosure rules for corporations. Particularly large businesses may nevertheless be covered by the German Public Disclosure Act. Certain subsidiaries may also qualify for exemptions when included in consolidated accounts.

Other reasons for missing or older figures

These are general explanations. Missing figures alone do not establish which reason applies to this company.

Not yet due or filed late

A statement may still be within its filing deadline or may be submitted late. The Federal Office of Justice can start administrative fine proceedings for disclosure breaches. Absence from this page does not establish such a breach.

Changes in disclosure scope

If a company becomes smaller or uses permitted simplifications, later statements may contain less detail or may only be deposited. A figure available in earlier years may then be absent.

Removal, reorganisation or winding up

Reports under this company may end after removal from the register or a merger. Liquidation, insolvency or inactivity does not automatically remove disclosure obligations; these generally continue until removal from the register.

Data coverage

A statement may already be published or deposited but not yet be included or fully processed in our dataset. Missing individual disclosures in the document also limit the figures that can be derived.