The German financial year (Geschäftsjahr): calendar, deviating, and how deadlines follow

What the Geschäftsjahr is

The Geschäftsjahr (financial or fiscal year) is the twelve-month period a company's accounts cover. By law it must not exceed twelve months (§ 240 Abs. 2 HGB). Most German companies simply use the calendar year, so their financial year runs 1 January to 31 December and their balance sheet date (Bilanzstichtag) is 31 December.

The balance sheet date is the anchor of the whole year-end system. Assets and liabilities are measured as at that date, the statements report the period ending on it, and every statutory deadline is counted forward from it.

Deviating financial years (abweichendes Geschäftsjahr)

A company may adopt a financial year that differs from the calendar year — for example 1 April to 31 March, common where a German subsidiary aligns with a foreign parent's reporting year. The deviating year is set in the company's articles (Gesellschaftsvertrag or Satzung).

For tax purposes, changing to a deviating fiscal year (Wirtschaftsjahr) for a company entered in the trade register generally requires the consent of the tax office. Commercially and for tax, the key effect is the same: the balance sheet date moves, and with it every deadline that hangs off it.

Switching an existing calendar year to a deviating one usually produces a short transitional stub period so that no single year exceeds twelve months. Groups often accept that one-off stub to bring a German subsidiary onto the parent's reporting cycle, after which every year runs cleanly from the new balance sheet date.

How the deadlines derive from the balance sheet date

A worked example with a deviating year

• Financial year: 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.
• Balance sheet date: 31 March 2026 — the date everything counts from.
• Prepare by 30 September 2026 (small/micro) or 30 June 2026 (medium/large).
• File with the Unternehmensregister by 31 March 2027.
• The same shift applies to a stub first year: whatever the last day of the period is, the clock starts there.

Why this matters in practice

Confusion over deadlines almost always comes from assuming a 31 December year-end when the company actually has a deviating one — or from forgetting that a short first year still ends on a balance sheet date that starts the clock. Getting the balance sheet date right is the prerequisite for getting every deadline right.

jahresabschluss.io derives your deadlines from the financial year you set, so a 31 March or stub year-end produces the correct preparation, adoption and filing dates — not a default 31 December assumption. Set up your entity and see the timeline before anything is due.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Geschäftsjahr in Germany?

The Geschäftsjahr is a company's financial year — the period its accounts cover, limited to a maximum of twelve months (§ 240 Abs. 2 HGB). Most companies use the calendar year, ending 31 December.

Can a German company have a non-calendar financial year?

Yes. A company may adopt a deviating financial year (abweichendes Geschäftsjahr), such as 1 April to 31 March, by setting it in its articles. Switching to a deviating fiscal year for tax generally needs the tax office's consent.

How are German filing deadlines calculated?

Every deadline runs from the balance sheet date at the end of the financial year: prepare within 3 or 6 months, a GmbH adopts within 8 or 11 months, and file within 12 months (§ 325 HGB).

What is the balance sheet date?

The Bilanzstichtag is the last day of the financial year — 31 December for a calendar-year company. Assets and liabilities are measured as at that date, and all year-end deadlines are counted forward from it.

Can a financial year be longer than 12 months?

No. A fiscal year may not exceed twelve months (§ 240 Abs. 2 HGB). A newly founded company that starts mid-year uses a shorter stub year (Rumpfgeschäftsjahr) rather than a longer first year.