Applying for a clearance certificate from the city of Köln
In Köln, a clearance certificate (Unbedenklichkeitsbescheinigung) for trade permits is issued by the city, enforcement department (Vollstreckung), Venloer Straße 151-153. It costs 20 euros, paid in advance by bank transfer, and is ordered online, by email, fax or in writing; it arrives by post within a few days. It is not valid for vehicle matters. We apply: 49,90 euros.
Clearance certificate Köln at a glance
- Responsible office
- Stadt Köln, Vollstreckung
- Address
- Venloer Straße 151-153, 50672 Köln
- Official fee
- €20 · transfer in advance for written, fax, online or email applications · cash when visiting in person
- Processing time
- within a few days by post
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- How to apply
- online form (preferred by the city) · in writing · fax · email · in person only in urgent exceptional cases after arranging by phone
- Purpose
- for trade permits, expressly not for vehicle matters
- Power of attorney
- written power of attorney mentioned for collection by another person · application by third parties not expressly regulated
- Contact
- Information 0221 / 221-21021 · Phone 0221 / 221-21564 · Fax 0221 / 221-21540 · Email vollstreckung@stadt-koeln.de
- Behördenfix fixed price
- 49,90 € including the fee
As of: 22.10.2026 · Source: Stadt Köln
How we apply for your certificate
- 1State purpose and personWhich permit you need the certificate for, and for whom.
- 2Upload IDCopies of all important pages of your ID card or passport.
- 3Application and feeWe submit the application to the city and transfer the 20 euros with the payment reference.
- 4Certificate by postThe city sends it by post; we follow up if it does not arrive.
Ordering the certificate yourself from the city of Köln
The way without us, step by step
The city of Köln asks you to order the certificate via its online form. This is how you do it yourself:
- Fill in the city's online form, or order in writing, by fax to 0221 / 221-21540 or by email to vollstreckung@stadt-koeln.de.
- State the purpose for which you need the certificate and, for a written application, enclose copies of all important pages of your ID document.
- Transfer the fee of 20 euros in advance to the city treasury's account at Sparkasse KölnBonn: IBAN DE30 3705 0198 0009 3029 51, payment reference (Kassenzeichen) 970900021324 and the name of the person or company the certificate is for. Once the fee has arrived, the city sends the certificate.
- In person only in urgent exceptional cases after arranging by phone on 0221 / 221-21021; then you pay in cash.
- With us you pay 49,90 euros including the fee. For this we take care of the application, the transfer with payment reference and follow-up.
Which documents the city requires
- ID card, passport or official identity document; for a written application, copies of all pages with relevant information.
- The purpose for which the certificate is needed, for example a restaurant licence or itinerant trade card.
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- A written power of attorney if another person is to collect the certificate.
- With us also: your power of attorney for Behördenfix.
Köln: for trade permits, not for vehicles
For trade permits, not for vehicles
According to the city, the Köln certificate is intended for trade permits and is expressly not suitable for vehicle matters. It is issued by the enforcement department at Venloer Straße 151-153; entrance, lifts and toilets are fully accessible for wheelchair users.
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As occasions, the city names among others the restaurant licence, the itinerant trade card, permits for estate agents, investment brokers and property developers, the taxi licence, commercial transport, the security trade and public contracts.
The city describes that you receive the certificate, for example, if there are no outstanding claims against you from taxes, property charges and other claims related to commercial activity. Only the city checks whether this applies.
According to the city, anyone applying for a restaurant licence in Köln needs the clearance certificate from every place where they have lived or run a business in the last three years. For former places of residence outside Köln, the local municipality there is responsible.
Frequently asked questions about the clearance certificate in Köln
How do I get a clearance certificate from the city of Köln?
Via the city of Köln's online form, which it prefers for applications, or in writing, by fax or email to the enforcement department, Venloer Straße 151-153. You state the purpose and enclose copies of your ID. You transfer the fee of 20 euros in advance. We take care of the application and the transfer.
When is a clearance certificate needed?
According to the city of Köln, for trade permits, for example the restaurant licence, the itinerant trade card, permits for brokers and investment brokers, the taxi licence, the security trade and public contracts. Whether your permit authority requires it, that authority will tell you. We apply for the certificate as soon as you know the purpose.
How long does it take to be issued in Köln?
According to the city of Köln, you receive the certificate by post within a few days of ordering. The condition is that the fee of 20 euros has been transferred in advance with the correct payment reference and the name of the person concerned. We transfer with these details and follow up if the post does not arrive.
Is this the same certificate as the one from the tax office?
No. For a restaurant licence, for example, the city of Köln requires both separately: a tax status certificate from the tax office (Finanzamt) and a clearance certificate from the municipal tax office, each from every place where you have lived or run a business in the last three years. This page only concerns the city's certificate.
What does the city of Köln's clearance certificate cost?
20 euros. For a written application, fax, online form or email, you transfer the fee in advance to the city treasury at Sparkasse KölnBonn, with payment reference 970900021324. If you visit in person, you pay in cash. With us the application costs 49,90 euros including this fee.
Can I use the certificate for vehicle registration?
No. The city of Köln states expressly that this clearance certificate is not suitable for vehicle matters. It is intended for trade permits. For questions about registering a vehicle, contact the vehicle registration office; we only apply for this certificate for commercial purposes.
Official sources
- Stadt Köln – Unbedenklichkeitsbescheinigung (Info), read on 22.10.2026
- Stadt Köln – Onlinedienst Unbedenklichkeitsbescheinigung, read on 22.10.2026
- Stadt Köln – Endgültige Gaststättenerlaubnis / Stellvertretungserlaubnis, read on 22.10.2026
Reviewed by M. Gabal on 26.10.2026
Provided by Behördenfix (M. Gabal). Behördenfix fills in, submits and tracks the application. We do not give legal advice and do not assess your individual case, nor any outstanding claims.