EORI number in Germany: when you need it and how you can get it

As soon as you conduct customs transactions in the European Union and beyond, you need an EORI number. This also applies to Germany. In the following article you can find out what this number looks like in Germany, where you can get it and how you use it.

What is a German EORI number?

EORI numbers are part of the European registration and identification system for economic operators (EORI). The numbers are a code that uniquely identifies each individual private person, legal entity and company. It is used, for example, for customs duties or filling out customs declarations.

Therefore, the EORI number is necessary to legally conduct  imports, exports, but also the intra-community movement of goods.

Who needs the EORI number in Germany?

As mentioned, every german

• private persons
• legal person
• company
• carrier

who transports across borders in Europe needs their own EORI number in Germany. This number can then be used throughout the EU, for example also for imports into Spain, exports from Italy, and more. In contrast, a Spanish company with a Spanish EORI number can also import goods into Germany. A German EORI number is therefore valid throughout the European Union.

However, there are two exceptions to the basic rules for EORI registration.

• Branches 
• Infrequent transports 

Subsidiaries of multinational companies that are located in another European country do not have to and may not obtain their own EORI number. Instead, they should use the headquarters number.

Furthermore, companies that only transport a small amount of cross-border goods do not yet need to apply for an EORI number. They are spared the administrative effort. An application is therefore only necessary if a company fills out more than nine customs declarations per annum. 

You can find more information about the EU-wide regulations on the EORI procedure on the EORI main page.

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What does a German EORI number look like?

Everywhere in Europe, EORI numbers consist of a combination of letters and numbers. The letter combination corresponds to the ISO code of the country in which the number is requested. The German ISO code is DE.

In Germany, the ISO code is followed by a 15-digit sequence that is assigned to companies when they register. A German EORI number can look like this:

DE123456789012345

But who has to apply for an EORI number in Germany? In principle, the following applies across the EU: companies should register in the Member State in which they are also based.

Foreign companies that are not based in the European Union can, however, choose the country in which they apply for the EORI number. Most register in the Member State where they import or export the most, or where they have already registered for the One-Stop-Shop. While OSS and EORI don’t have much to do with each other, both are often necessary in order to trade successfully within the EU. Companies can save administrative work by bundling administrative tasks in a single country. You can find out more about the One-Stop-Shop on our overview page and here:

This is how you get a number in Germany

In Germany, an EORI number is available from the General Customs Directorate (GZD) in Dresden, which is responsible for master data management. German companies and private individuals have two options for applying for an EORI number.

The simplest variant is to apply via the customs online portal. You can apply for a new EORI number in the portal and then check the status of your application. To register there, however, you need the ELSTER certificate file. You should already have this in order to submit advance VAT returns in Germany – a task that hellotax can also take on for you.

Another way to register for the EORI procedure is to fill out form 0870a. The document must be signed and then sent to the General Customs Directorate as a PDF document by email, letter or fax.