{"id":4463,"date":"2026-07-06T10:29:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T08:29:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/?page_id=4463"},"modified":"2026-07-06T14:53:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T12:53:39","slug":"foreign-construction-companies-germany","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/foreign-construction-companies-germany\/","title":{"rendered":"Construction companies from abroad: the German rules you must know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div id=\"progress\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n\n<header>\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\n    <a href=\"\/en\/\" class=\"brand\" aria-label=\"BWLAW\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/bwlaw-child-1\/assets\/img\/logo-bw.png\" alt=\"BWLAW\" width=\"42\" height=\"28\"><\/a>\n    <nav aria-label=\"Main navigation\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/construction-law\/\">Construction law<\/a>\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/debt-collection\/\">Debt collection<\/a>\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/company-formation\/\">Corporate law<\/a>\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/employment-law\/\">Employment law<\/a>\n      <a href=\"\/en\/defective-car-from-germany\/\">Cars<\/a>\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/\" class=\"active\">Knowledge base<\/a>\n      <a href=\"\/en\/#zespol\">Team<\/a>\n    <\/nav>\n    <a href=\"\/en\/#kontakt\" class=\"btn\">Contact a lawyer <span class=\"arr\">\u2192<\/span><\/a>\n    <button class=\"burger\" aria-label=\"Menu\">\u2630<\/button>\n  <\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n<section class=\"shero\" style=\"padding-bottom:3.5rem\">\n  <div class=\"glow\"><\/div>\n  <div class=\"wrap\" style=\"grid-template-columns:1fr\">\n    <div>\n      <nav class=\"crumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\"><a href=\"\/en\/\">Home<\/a><span>\/<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/\">Knowledge base<\/a><span>\/<\/span><b>Construction<\/b><\/nav>\n      <span class=\"eyebrow\">Construction<\/span>\n      <h1 style=\"max-width:24ch\">Construction companies from abroad: the German rules you must know<\/h1>\n      <p class=\"lead\">German construction sites are an attractive market \u2014 and a dense web of obligations: from posting rules through SOKA-BAU to the traps of the VOB\/B. Here is the map.<\/p>\n      <div class=\"art-meta\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/bwlaw-child-1\/assets\/img\/dr-artur-barczewski.webp\" alt=\"Dr. Artur Barczewski\" width=\"46\" height=\"46\" loading=\"lazy\">\n        <div><b>Dr. Artur Barczewski<\/b>Rechtsanwalt \u00b7 attorney-at-law<\/div>\n        <div style=\"margin-left:1rem;border-left:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.25);padding-left:1rem\">\u2248 7 min read<br>updated: July 2026<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<article class=\"sec\">\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\n    <div class=\"prose rv\" style=\"font-size:1.02rem\">\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">Posting workers: A1 and working conditions<\/h3>\n      <p>Posted workers need A1 certificates (proof of home social insurance), and the employer must observe German minimum working conditions (Posted Workers Act) \u2014 including sectoral minimum wages in construction. The posting must be notified electronically to German customs (Zoll) before work starts, and customs inspects sites routinely.<\/p>\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">SOKA-BAU<\/h3>\n      <p>Anyone performing construction work in Germany is in principle covered by the SOKA-BAU holiday fund system \u2014 including foreign companies with posted workers. Contributions are matched by benefits and refund options \u2014 details in our SOKA-BAU article.<\/p>\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">Trade licensing (Handwerksrecht)<\/h3>\n      <p>Part of construction work belongs to the licensed crafts (Handwerksordnung) requiring a master craftsman qualification. EU service providers benefit from facilitations, but some activities require notification to or confirmation from the chamber of crafts \u2014 better clarified before signing the contract than after an inspection.<\/p>\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">Tax: the 15 % construction withholding tax<\/h3>\n      <p>For construction services a business customer must withhold 15 % of each invoice (Bauabzugsteuer) \u2014 unless the contractor presents an exemption certificate (Freistellungsbescheinigung) from the tax office. Without it you lose liquidity on every invoice: obtaining the certificate is one of the first steps before market entry.<\/p>\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">The contract: BGB or VOB\/B<\/h3>\n      <p>The core risk sits in the contract regime and its formal duties \u2014 notice of hindrance, notification of concerns, acceptance, final invoice. More on our construction law page and in the articles on Bedenkenanmeldung and Schlussrechnung.<\/p>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"hl rv\" style=\"max-width:760px\">\n      <span class=\"eyebrow\">Practice<\/span>\n      <h3>The most expensive mistakes happen before the first invoice<\/h3>\n      <p>Missing exemption certificate, unnotified posting, unreviewed VOB\/B contract \u2014 avoidable costs if market entry is planned with a lawyer.<\/p>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"mini-cta rv\"><b>Does this affect you?<\/b><span style=\"color:var(--ink-soft);font-size:.92rem\">Describe your case \u2014 we reply concretely and quickly.<\/span><a href=\"\/en\/#kontakt\" class=\"btn\">Contact a lawyer <span class=\"arr\">\u2192<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n    <div class=\"prose rv\" style=\"margin-top:1.5rem\">\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.1rem\">Related topics<\/h3>\n      <div class=\"chips\" style=\"margin-top:.8rem\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/construction-law\/\">Construction law in Germany \u2192<\/a>\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/soka-bau\/\">SOKA-BAU \u2192<\/a>\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/posting-workers-germany\/\">Posting workers to Germany \u2192<\/a>\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/bedenkenanmeldung\/\">Notification of concerns \u2192<\/a>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n<section class=\"sec alt\">\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\n    <div class=\"lawyer rv\">\n      <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/bwlaw-child-1\/assets\/img\/dr-artur-barczewski.webp\" alt=\"Dr. Artur Barczewski\" width=\"96\" height=\"96\" loading=\"lazy\">\n      <div>\n        <b>Dr. Artur Barczewski<\/b>\n        <div class=\"role\">Rechtsanwalt \u00b7 attorney-at-law<\/div>\n        <p>Author of this article. Represents clients before courts across Germany. <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/team\/artur-barczewski\/\">View profile \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <p style=\"font-size:.78rem;color:var(--ink-soft);margin-top:1.2rem;max-width:70ch\">This article is for information only and does not constitute legal advice. The law may change \u2014 consult a lawyer about your individual case.<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<section class=\"cta-end\">\n  <div class=\"glow\"><\/div>\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\n    <span class=\"eyebrow rv\">Contact<\/span>\n    <h2 class=\"rv d1\">Does your situation look similar?<\/h2>\n    <p class=\"rv d2\">Every case has details that change the outcome. Describe yours \u2014 you will get a concrete answer and a cost overview.<\/p>\n    <div class=\"row rv d3\">\n      <a href=\"\/en\/#kontakt\" class=\"btn\">Describe your case <span class=\"arr\">\u2192<\/span><\/a>\n      <a href=\"tel:+4933555310969\" class=\"phone\">\u260e +49 335 553 10969<\/a>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<footer>\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\n    <div class=\"foot-grid\">\n      <div>\n        <div class=\"foot-brand\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/bwlaw-child-1\/assets\/img\/logo-bw.png\" alt=\"Logo BWLAW\" width=\"38\" height=\"26\"><\/div>\n        <p>Kanzlei Dr. Barczewski &amp; Dr. Wr\u00f3blewska GbR<br>Rudolf-Breitscheid-Stra\u00dfe 10<br>15230 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany<br><a href=\"tel:+4933555310969\">+49 335 553 10969<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"mailto:info@bwlaw.de\">info@bwlaw.de<\/a><\/p>\n      <\/div>\n      <div>\n        <div class=\"foot-h\">Practice areas<\/div>\n        <ul>\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/construction-law\/\">Construction law \/ VOB\/B<\/a><\/li>\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/employment-law\/\">Employment law<\/a><\/li>\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/debt-collection\/\">Debt collection<\/a><\/li>\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/company-formation\/\">Corporate law<\/a><\/li>\n          <li><a href=\"\/en\/defective-car-from-germany\/\">Defective car from Germany<\/a><\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/div>\n      <div>\n        <div class=\"foot-h\">Legal<\/div>\n        <ul>\n          <li><a href=\"\/en\/\">Home<\/a><\/li>\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/\">Knowledge base<\/a><\/li>\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/impressum\/\">Legal notice (Impressum)<\/a><\/li>\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/privacy-policy\/\">Privacy policy<\/a><\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"foot-bottom\">\n      <span>\u00a9 2026 BWLAW \u00b7 Kanzlei Dr. Barczewski &amp; Dr. Wr\u00f3blewska GbR<\/span>\n      <span>Rechtsanw\u00e4lte \u00b7 attorneys-at-law \u00b7 Frankfurt (Oder)<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/footer>\n\n<div class=\"sticky-cta\">\n  <a href=\"tel:+4933555310969\" class=\"call\">\u260e Call us<\/a>\n  <a href=\"\/en\/#kontakt\" class=\"book\">Describe your case<\/a>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Construction law Debt collection Corporate law Employment law Cars Knowledge base Team Contact a lawyer \u2192 \u2630 Home\/Knowledge base\/Construction Construction Construction companies from abroad: the German rules you must know German construction sites are an attractive market \u2014 and a dense web of obligations: from posting rules through SOKA-BAU to the traps of the VOB\/B. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":4417,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-bwlaw-page.php","meta":{"footnotes":"","rank_math_title":"Foreign construction companies in Germany \u2014 the rules | BWLAW","rank_math_description":"Posting and A1, SOKA-BAU, trade licensing, construction withholding tax and contract choice \u2014 key rules for foreign construction businesses in Germany.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"foreign construction company Germany rules","rank_math_robots":[]},"class_list":["post-4463","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"bwlaw_import":{"lang":"en","template":"template-bwlaw-page.php"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4463","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4463"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4463\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4858,"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4463\/revisions\/4858"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4417"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}