Stripe: Supported types of businesses

When setting up your Stripe account, you must select the respective company type. You can find an explanation of the various options in this article.


  1. Einzelunternehmen / Natürliche Person 
  2. Kapitalgesellschaft
  3. Personengesellschaft
  4. Verein / Genossenschaft
  5. Geschäftliche Anforderungen 

Einzelunternehmen / Natürliche Person

Englisch: Sole Proprietorship oder Individual

If you are self-employed as an individual, your business most likely falls into this category. Within this category, we support different types of businesses:

  • Registered trader (e. K.) - Sole trader entered in the commercial register.
  • Small trader - Small business not entered in the commercial register
  • Freelancer - Independent professional who pursues a freelance profession
  • Other


Kapitalgesellschaft

Englisch: Company oder Corporation

If you are creating a Stripe account on behalf of a registered company, it is likely to be a GmbH or UG (if the company is privately owned) or an AG (if the company is listed). We support different types of companies:

  • Limited liability company (GmbH)
  • Entrepreneurial company (UG)
  • Public limited company (AG)
  • Other types


Personengesellschaft

Englisch: Partnership

If you apply for a Stripe account on behalf of a partnership with another person or legal entity, this is likely to be a GbR, OHG, KG or PartG. Partnerships usually have a partnership agreement and, with the exception of the GbR, are entered in either the commercial register or the partnership register. Within this category, we support different types of companies:

  • Civil law partnership (GbR)
  • General partnership (OHG)
  • Limited partnership (KG)
  • Partnership company (PartG)
  • GmbH & Compagnie limited partnership (GmbH & Co, KG)
  • Other types


Verein / Genossenschaft

Englisch: Association / Cooperative

In addition to companies and partnerships, we support various types of associations and cooperatives:

  • Registered association (e. V.) - An association entered in the register of associations
  • Registered cooperative (e. G.) - A cooperative registered in the register of cooperatives
  • Non-registered association (n. e. V.) - An association not entered in the register of associations
  • Other


Geschäftliche Anforderungen

There is certain information that we only require for specific types of company. For example, in the case of a company or certain types of partnerships (e.g. OHG and KG), we need the commercial register number for your company. If we cannot verify this number, we need proof of the legal entity. This proof is provided by one of the following documents:

  • VAT registration
  • business registration
  • trade license
  • Extract from the commercial register
  • Annual financial statements