See who the commercial register says can sign
Read who can bind a company in Germany, Switzerland, Spain, the Netherlands or Poland towards third parties, and record what the register shows.
Screenshots are retaken from IQ Entities on every release. Updated 14 October 2026.
In several European countries the commercial register, not the board minutes, tells a bank or a counterparty who can bind a company and how: a Geschäftsführer alone, two directors jointly, a Prokurist. Limits the company sets internally bind the holder towards the company, but often not towards the outside world. When a bank asks who can sign for a German GmbH, the answer it relies on is the register's.
For companies in Germany, Switzerland, Spain, the Netherlands and Poland, the Authorities page shows both answers: who the register lists as able to bind the company, and the internal authority beneath it.
Read the registered representation
Open the company and choose Authorities in its sidebar. The page opens on its registered representation, naming the register it comes from, such as the Handelsregister.
Each representative is listed with the basis of their power, such as Geschäftsführer for a managing director or Prokura for a holder of commercial power of attorney, and a badge saying whether it binds third parties now. Officers appear from their appointment, with nothing to re-enter; instruments such as a Prokura appear from the authorities recorded below.
Read how they sign and Towards third parties for the extent of their power, with the provision it comes from. A limit the company has set internally is shown in amber as not binding third parties: in the example, the Prokurist's EUR 25,000 cap restricts him towards the company, but a bank may rely on his signature for more.
| The badge reads | What it means |
|---|---|
| Binds third parties | In force and relied on by the outside world |
| No effect until registered | Granted, but it takes effect only once the register shows it |
| Still binds until the deletion is registered | Revoked internally, but outsiders may rely on it until the register deletes it |
| Ended, with deletion not confirmed | Ended, but the deletion is not recorded as registered |
| Not yet in force | Starts on a later date |
| Ended | No longer in force |
Record what the register shows
Where the register entry differs from the law's default, or to record when an entry was filed and registered, edit the representative.
Click the edit button at the end of the representative's row.
Under How they sign, choose what the register records, or leave Not recorded to use the statutory answer. For joint representation, enter the number of Signatures and who they sign Together with.
Switch on any restriction or extension the register shows, such as Restricted to a branch or Extends to selling and charging real property. Only those the country's law has are offered.
Under Registration, choose where the entry stands, such as Filed, awaiting registration or Registered, enter the dates, and add the Registry reference, such as the HRB number. Choose Save. Reset to derived removes what you recorded and goes back to the answer worked out from the appointment or instrument.
See it from the person's side
The person's own Authorities page lists every company whose register shows them as able to bind it, and how, above their internal authorities. Use it when a director or Prokurist asks what they may sign across the group.
Tips from practice
- When a Prokura is revoked, record the revocation on the authority and the deletion's filing and registration dates here. Until the register deletes it, the badge says it still binds, which is what a bank reading the register would assume.
- Internal limits still matter: record them on the authority so the company can hold the holder to them. See Record who can sign for a company.
- Before a significant contract is signed, ask Who can sign? on the same page as well, for the internal answer in one sentence.
- When a managing director leaves, end their powers on the same day. See End a leaver's authorities.