Germany’s Official Law Gazette Goes Fully Digital, Ending the Paper Era
Published on 07/28/2026 at 22:31 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
A quiet revolution in the heart of German bureaucracy took effect on July 28, 2026: the Bundesgesetzblatt (Federal Law Gazette) now publishes exclusively online. The printed version has been retired entirely, making the government’s official proclamation portal the sole legally binding source for all federal laws and regulations. The shift marks a major milestone in the country’s broader digital-administration strategy.
On the day before the switch, several key documents were uploaded through the new system. Among them were amendments to the Bundestag’s rules of procedure (BGBl. 2026 I No. 220), a delegation order from the Justice Ministry, changes to the integration-course regulation, and updates to the metal-process-technologist training ordinance. The formal suspension of the double-taxation agreement with Russia was also published.
Identity-Data Pilot Succeeds Between Federal Agencies
Alongside the digital gazette, other administrative-digitalization efforts are advancing. The Federal Office of Administration (BVA) and the Federal Employment Agency (BA) have completed a successful pilot project for identity-data retrieval, known as IDA. The Employment Agency is now the first registry-holding body to operate the system in regular use.
The IDA procedure allows for the unambiguous matching of personal data across agency boundaries, using the national identification number (IDNr). The ultimate goal is to connect to the national Once-Only Technical System (NOOTS), which would let citizens and businesses submit certain information to the state just once. A data-protection dashboard will make all retrievals transparent and auditable.
Online Notarizations Expand; Vehicle Documents Go Digital
Progress is also visible in commercial and corporate law. The federal government plans to significantly broaden the scope of online notarizations. In the future, registrations for the commercial register by all legal entities, as well as filings for the partnership, cooperative, and association registers, will be possible digitally. A draft law also envisions online certification for GmbH capital-contribution formations, founding powers of attorney, and articles-of-association amendments.
Vehicle documentation has already been digitized. Since July 14, the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) has offered the electronic Certificate of Conformity (eCoC) free of charge online. It can be retrieved using the vehicle identification number (VIN) and applies to passenger cars and light commercial vehicles first registered from October 2019 onward. Since July 5, the eCoC has been mandatory for new vehicles under EU requirements.
Paper Receipts to End in 2028; Digital Building Permits Next
Looking further ahead, the Finance Ministry plans to scrap the traditional paper-receipt requirement as of January 1, 2028. Instead, digital receipts will be displayed via QR codes on cash-register screens. Companies with annual revenue exceeding €100,000 will then be required to use electronic cash registers, a move designed to curb manipulation and tax evasion.
In the construction sector, the next automation phase is approaching. While building applications can already be submitted digitally in some cases, the future focus is on automated, rule-based checks using digital building models (BIM). The government points to research projects such as “Zukunft Bau” and the EU Horizon project ACCORD, which aim to make building-permit reviews more efficient.
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