Authentication of the transfer of shares in a German limited liability company (GmbH)

According to section 15 of the German Act on Limited Liability Companies (GmbHG), the valid acquisition and pledging of shares in a German limited liability company (GmbH) requires notarial authentication. In a decision of 17 December 2013 (II ZB 6/13) the German Federal Court of Justice ruled that the transfer of shares in a German limited liability company can be authenticated by a Swiss notary with legal validity and that the corresponding lists of shareholders can be submitted to the competent German register court by the Swiss notary. PETERER Rechtsanwalt Notar performs such authentications at his offices in St.Gallen.