Shelf company (Vorratsgesellschaft)
Also: Vorratsgesellschaft, Vorrats-GmbH, Vorrats-UG, ready-made company
In short
A shelf company is a GmbH or UG that has already been formed and registered, has never traded and is bought in order to start immediately with a limited liability company. Its shares are bought by notarised contract.
Shelf company (Vorratsgesellschaft) explained
A shelf company has no contracts, no employees and no liabilities; the share capital has already been paid in and is included in the purchase price. It makes sense when days count, for example for a deal under time pressure, a property purchase or when a contractual partner requires a registered GmbH. After the purchase, the company name, registered office, corporate purpose and managing director are usually adjusted, partly by amending the articles of association before a notary. The activation must be disclosed to the register court as an economic re-formation. If time is not a factor, a new formation is cheaper. Recht 24/7 does not offer shelf companies itself; the purchase is handled via the partner Startbereit.
