Starting a business in Hamburg

The Point of Single Contact

Be it a business registration, a permit for running a restaurant or a special allowance for using public space - The Point of Single Contact in Hamburg can advise you on these and many other administrative procedures. At your request, these procedures can also be handled by our one-stop-shop.
How to register a business? Do I need a permit for running a restaurant? How to apply for or a special allowance for using public space? When setting up or running a business, these or similiar questions do often arise. The Point of Single Contact in Hamburg, which is operated by our Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, can advise you on these and many other questions, thereby adding more services to our range of services for start-ups and businesses.

What the Point of Single Contact can do for you

Advice: The Point of Single Contact is tasked with advising companies from throughout Europe in the following areas:
  • Legal commercial licence requirements and procedural issues
  • responsibilities within the Hamburg administrative system
  • Access to official registers
  • Additional sources of advice
One-Stop-Shop for licences: The Point of Single Contact organisation will also serve as a "process intermediary", providing the following services relating to setting up and running a company:
  • Receiving legal commercial applications, notices of declarations of intent and documents, and checking that they are complete
  • Identifying the competent authorities and directing people to the competent authorities
  • Mediation between companies and the authority in the case of queries
  • Monitoring progress of the process, providing details regarding the status
  • Advice regarding assistance available in the case of difficulties during the process
On the websites of the city of Hamburg you can find out which administrative matters apply to your case. Hereby, we make these matters faster and more transparent.

Who is eligible to use the Point of Single Contact

The services provided by the point of single contact are, generally speaking, available to all domestic and foreign companies and people setting up a business – including those from outside the European Union. Certain sectors are, however, legally excluded from the point of single contact's area of competence. Tailored advice on this is likewise available via the interactive set of questions at the websites of the city of Hamburg or click here for a full list of exceptions. The Point of Single Contact is of course available on a one-to-one basis to explain eligibility, and make any necessary referrals to technical experts - who are often available right here within the Chamber of Commerce.
3. How to reach the Point of Single Contact:
Due to the pandemic situation, only e-mail service can be offered at this time. Please describe your concerns and send an e-mail to: ea@ea.hamburg.de. 
You can find contact information on other Points of Single in the German federal states and other EU member states via the ec.europa.eu portal.

What the Point of Single Contact costs

Most of our services are free of charge. However, there is a fee for some of the services provided by the Point of Single Contact, which is calculated in accordance to the work required to process the case. Further details are available from the schedule of fees. A counselling-session, up to half an hour, is in any case free of charge.

Who runs the Point of Single Contact in Hamburg

The Hamburg Point of Single Contact is supported by an association of chambers (members in addition to our Chamber of Commerce are: Hamburg Chamber of Handicrafts/Handwerkskammer Hamburg, Hamburg Chamber of Architects/Hamburgische Architektenkammer, Hamburg Chamber of Engineers and Construction/Hamburgische Ingenieurkammer-Bau, Hanseatic Chamber of Lawyers in Hamburg/Hanseatische Rechtsanwaltskammer Hamburg, Hamburg Chamber of Tax Consultants/Steuerberaterkammer Hamburg). A second office is located within the Hamburg Chamber of Handicrafts.

Who answers my questions about the Point of Single Contact's services?

Just give us a call or write us an e-mail. You can also reach us by mail under the following adress:
Einheitlicher Ansprechpartner Hamburg
Postfach 111479
20414 Hamburg
More background information about the Points of Single Contact throughout Europe can be found in this film by the European Union.

Schedule of fees

Number
Chargeable service

Fee
1. Issuing information


1.1
electronically by accessing the information provided on the Hamburg Point of Single Contact internet portal
free of charge

1.2
using electronic means as well as telephone or personal consultancy or written advice
up to 30 minutes free of charge, after which 9.00 euros per 15 minutes or part thereof up to a maximum fee of 90.00 euros
2. Mediation procedure
2.1
handling the complete procedure
9.00 euros per 15 minutes or part thereof up to a maximum of 25 per cent of the fee levied for all completed procedures, but up to a maximum of 360.00 euros. Amounts below 9.00 euros are not charged.
2.2
where the request to complete the procedure is subsequently withdrawn.
9.00 euros per 15 minutes or part thereof up to a maximum of 25 per cent of the fee levied for all completed processes, but up to a maximum of 180.00 euros. Amounts below 9.00 euros are not charged.
Note: The "Schedule of fees for chargeable services within the Hamburg Point of Single Contact" leaflet is not an official translation.