You can do this by contacting your local tax office in writing or making an appointment. To obtain the Steuernummer you need to apply for it at the Finanzamt. This number will need to go on to your invoices and should be quoted in any communication with the Finanzamt (tax office). But as a freelancer you will need an additional number, called Steuernummer. This is needed for social benefits and by employers. Time to get serious.Īfter registration, the federal tax authority will automatically send you a tax ID number or Steuer-Identifikationsnummer (that word is about 100 letters long, isn’t German incredible?!). So, you’ve registered and are ready to set up your freelance business. Again, it’s highly advised that you ask someone who can help translate to walk you through the required steps. Do this within 14 days of relocating.Īre you not from the EU? Then you will probably need to apply for a Visa or Blue Card. Depending on your language skills, it may be wise to take your new German friend along to translate for you as a lot of people working at the Bürgeramt don’t have a great command of the English language. You should bring your passport, a letter from your landlord confirming that you are a tenant and possibly a birth certificate. Google your local Bürgeramt and make an appointment online. Next up: hit the citizen’s bureau aka Bürgeramt and register. For this article, I’ll focus on freelancers providing a service. If you have a trade business, you need to register as such and pay Gewerbesteuer (business tax) on top of your other taxes. If you offer a service you will be categorised as a freelancer but if you offer goods you will qualify as a tradesperson. Next step: determine what category of self-employment you fall into in Germany. Trust me, this will be a massive game changer when faced with the small avalanche of paperwork that is about to hit you. If you’ve recently moved to Germany and plan on setting up your freelance life here but don’t speak the language, the first thing you should do is go out and find yourself a German buddy. First Things First: Go Register! Get a Visa! So, for all the freelance newbies who want to get it right the first-time round – here, a short 101 to help get you on your feet and avoid (literally) paying for your mistakes. But guess what? Turns out that can get you into a lot of trouble. Like any good optimist, I often winged it. But I was quick to realise that having somebody to fill out your forms is one thing, actually understanding German bureaucracy and the tax system quite another. Clearly, a savvy move, I thought, patting myself on the back. At the time, I didn’t know anybody who had mastered freelance life and whose footsteps I could follow in. Here, a short freelancer’s guide to the basics of German bureaucracy and the German tax system.Ībout four years ago I decided to throw caution – and a regular salary – to the wind and try my luck at freelancing in Berlin. Especially when you’ve chosen to do so in a foreign country and your language skills extend to ordering ein Bier.