The Registered Civil-Law Partnership (eGbR): Why Registration in the Partnership Register Pays Off

Since 1 January 2024 it has been possible to register a civil-law partnership (Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Rechts, GbR) with the competent local court. The partnership then trades under the legal form suffix "eGbR" (eingetragene Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Rechts – registered civil-law partnership), for example "Huber, Schmidt & Jensen Grundbesitz eGbR".

For partnerships holding real estate in particular, registration is not only possible but is a precondition for registering the real property in the name of the partnership itself, Art. 229 § 21 of the Introductory Act to the German Civil Code (EGBGB). Previously, real property was not registered for the partnership as such, but for its individual members. Beyond that, experience since the beginning of 2024 shows that registration of the GbR in the partnership register (Gesellschaftsregister) is useful. It allows the partnership's business partners (banks, suppliers etc.) to verify officially who belongs to the partnership and who is authorised to act on its behalf. It also facilitates a change of legal form should another form, such as a GmbH, be desired later.