Apply for a licence to operate as a pawnbroker or pawnbroking agent

• Completed application form
• Copy of your identity card or a comparable form of identification
• A current extract from the commercial or co-operative register, provided the company is entered in the register; otherwise, a copy of the articles of association (for example, in the case of a civil-law partnership (GbR))
• If the company is based abroad: documents from the country of incorporation proving its legal form
• Extract from the Federal Central Register (certificate of good conduct) for submission to a public authority for every person entrusted with the management of the business or a branch office (in the case of legal entities: for all persons authorised to represent the entity under the law, articles of association or partnership agreement)
• Extract from the Central Trade Register for every person responsible for managing the business or a branch (in the case of legal entities: for the entity itself and for all persons authorised to represent it under the law, the articles of association or the partnership agreement)
• Certificate regarding tax matters issued by the relevant tax office
• Extract from the register of debtors at the central enforcement court
• Information from the insolvency court as to whether insolvency proceedings have been opened
• Certificate of no outstanding tax liabilities from the local tax office
• If resident abroad: documents from your home country proving your personal reliability
• Proof of insurance cover for accepted pledged items against fire damage, water damage, burglary and robbery
• Proof of the funds or security required to run the business. If you are resident in Germany, you will generally need an extract from the register of debtors for this purpose.
• If you are resident abroad: documents from your home country proving that you have the necessary funds or security.

To verify personal reliability, the competent authority may request further documents on a case-by-case basis.

In the case of legal entities (GmbH, Unternehmensgesellschaft, AG, registered cooperative), you need only complete the application form for the legal entity itself. You must submit all personal documents for all natural persons authorised to manage the business (for example, identity documents). For the legal entity, you will also need an extract from the Central Trade Register.

Partnerships (GbR, KG, OHG, PartG, GmbH Co. KG) are not eligible for authorisation as such. Therefore, each managing partner requires authorisation. For each of these individuals, you must submit a completed application form and all relevant personal documents.