Registering your self-employment in Germany? This form - the Fragebogen zur steuerlichen Erfassung (tax registration questionnaire) - is your first official step. Sounds serious, but don’t worry: we’ll walk you through it, section by section.
Let’s take the pressure off - and get it right the first time.
This form tells the Finanzamt you’re officially self-employed. With it, they’ll:
Assign your Steuernummer (tax number)
Classify your work as freelance or trade (gewerbetreibend)
Decide whether you are subject to VAT or if you qualify as a Kleinunternehmer
Set up income tax prepayments based on your expected earnings
Start with the basics: your name, address, birthday, marital status - plus your religious affiliation (for church tax reasons). As well as your email and phone number so the Finanzamt can reach you easily.
Here’s where you enter a job description and describe what you are planning on doing with your self-employment.
🔍 Be specific - you only have 170 characters, and this determines whether you're classified as a Freiberufler (freelancer) or Gewerbetreibender (tradesperson).
Example:
"Freelance photography for events, portraits, and product shoots, specializing in services for commercial and corporate clients."
âś… Write this in German if possible.
Have a separate business address? You can enter it here too.
You’ll need your tax ID (Steueridentifikationsnummer), and the start date of your self-employment.
📌 Important: even if you haven’t made money yet, the start date is when your activity began - and you need to register within 6 weeks of that.
You’ll also estimate your revenue for this year and next, and choose whether you want to apply the Kleinunternehmerregelung (small business regulation). This affects how VAT is handled. We explain all the details in our guide here.
đź’ˇ A quick note on estimates:
A realistic estimate is totally fine - the Finanzamt doesn’t expect a crystal ball. Just make sure your numbers are based on what you genuinely expect to earn, even if you're just getting started.
Now, enter your expected profit for your first and second year.
👉 No stress - a rough guess is totally fine.
⚠️ Estimate your income, subtract your expected expenses, and you’ve got your profit. This helps the Finanzamt decide whether you need to make advance income tax payments (if it’s likely over 1.200€/year).
And don’t forget: you’ll also note whether you’re working freelance or commercially:
Freelance (Freiberuflich) → professions like writers, designers, coaches, developers
Trade (Gewerblich) → selling products, operating a shop, etc.
🔎 Not sure? Check our guide: Freelancer or Tradesperson?
Or just ask us - we’re here to help.
You’ll also list here any additional sources of income.
This is where refunds land - so enter your bank info.
No business account yet? No problem - your private account works for now.
You can update your bank details later once you’ve opened a business account. Just let your Finanzamt know about the change when you do.
➡️ Did you know? You can open a free Accountable Business Account after you receive your Steuernummer, right in the app.
You’ll get a confirmation email with the transmission protocol - your proof of submission. Your Steuernummer arrives by post in about 3–6 weeks. Make sure your name is on the mailbox!
Still have questions? Not sure if your info is correct?
Just email tax-coach@accountable.eu - we’ve got your back.
Author - Valesca Wilms
As content marketing lead at Accountable Belgium, Valesca writes about freelancing, self-employment, and taxes based on her own experience as a freelancer.
Who is Valesca ?Thank you for your feedback!
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