Changes of name

General information

Natural persons (sole traders) who are not entered in the Companies Register must use their names, inter alia, for any external designation of their place(s) of business, while legal entities (capital companies, associations) and registered commercial partnerships will use the name defined under law or in their articles.

The following changes are to be reported to the competent trade authority:

• Change of name of the holder of the trade licence (unless the change has either been registered in the Central Civil Registry [Zentrales Personenstandsregister] or in the Central Register of Residents [Zentrales Melderegister])
• Change of name of a managing director appointed under trade law (unless the change has either been registered in the Central Civil Registry or in the Central Register of Residents)
• Change of name of legal entities which are not entered in the Companies Register (e.g. associations). Companies^{German text} entered in Austria’s Companies Register need not report any change of their company’s name to the trade authority. The competent trade authority will be automatically informed of any such changes by the court responsible for entries in the Companies Register.

Changes of name of natural persons that are already registered in the Central Civil Registry or in the Central Register of Residents also do not have to be reported to the trade authority. In this case the Central Register automatically notifies the trade authority.

Requirements

In the case of associations, the new designation must already be inscribed in the Associations Register.

Deadlines

Any change of name is to be reported within four weeks.

Competent authority

Trade authority locally competent for the business location in question:

• District Authority^{German text}
• in cities with their own municipal law: Municipal Authority^{German text}
  • in Vienna: Municipal District Office or Municipal Department MA 63 (→ City of Vienna)^{German text} depending on the trade concerned

Procedure

Change of name may be reported – either with or without the use of an official form – personally, in writing or (partially) by electronic means.

An informal report shall include the following information:

• Old and new name of the holder of the related trade licence or of the managing director appointed under trade law
• Designation of the trade
• Location of trade
• GISA-number

The authority will enter the change of name in the Austrian Business Licence Information System (GISA) and mail, upon request, a new extract from the GISA by standard postal service.

Required documents

• For natural persons:
  • Supporting documents concerning change of name (e.g. marriage certificate or official decision on change of name)
• For associations:
  • Extract from the Associations Register

Costs and fees

No fees or taxes are incurred.

Legal bases

Section 63 of the Gewerbeordnung 1994 (GewO 1994)

Link to form

Online-procedure (where regionally available):

Trade – change of name/company designation^{German text}