Digitally check your business partners' registration status

Electronic marketplaces, fulfilment service providers, drop shipping sellers and other redistributors must regularly check if their business partners are meeting their obligations under German packaging law. To help those subject to these due diligence obligations, the ZSVR offers a digital register excerpt function.

The Verpackungsgesetz (Packaging Act) is clear: no matter what type of packaging your business partners use to distribute their goods commercially in Germany, they have to be registered with the LUCID Packaging Register. In the case of retail, grouped or shipment packaging, your business partners also have to pay for the recycling of that packaging. This is called 'system participation'.

The Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister (Central Agency Packaging Register – ZSVR) has developed a register excerpt that allows you to verify your business partners' registration status automatically via an XML file. The XML file you can download contains an up-to-date excerpt of the public register of producers.

The register excerpt will not tell you if your business partners have concluded a system participation agreement. System participation has to be verified by other means – and lawmakers have left it up to the individual to choose how. System operators can provide their clients with a confirmation that they have entered into a system participation agreement. This would allow mail order companies and online retailers to supply marketplaces, fulfilment service providers, drop shipping sellers and other redistributors of goods with the evidence they require.

For individual queries about registered companies, please use the public register of producers.

How to use the register excerpt

1. Create a login

Go to https://registerabruf.verpackungsregister.org to create a login. Do not forget to accept the Terms of Use. Because the register excerpt is created through a separate function, it requires a separate login for the LUCID Packaging Register. This separate login needs to be activated by the ZSVR, which only takes a few business days. You will receive an e-mail notification as soon as the separate login has been activated.

2. Download the XML File

Once the login has been activated, you can access an XML file with a register excerpt. You can download this file manually or automatically via an API.

API documentation – register excerpt

Guidelines to help you use the token, including details about the other parameters.

pdf, 183 KB

3. Check the XML files' contents

The XML file contains the following information about companies registered with the LUCID Packaging Register:

Registration number
Company name
VAT number or taxpayer reference number
Details about packaging (subject to system participation and not subject to system participation)

Contents of the 'Register excerpt' XML file

This file contains details about the contents of the XML file.

pdf, 156 KB

Drop shipping

Are you a drop shipper? If so, you are subject to a statutory due diligence obligation, namely ensuring that your contractual counterparties (drop shipping senders) comply with their obligations.

Fulfilment

Do you work with a fulfilment service provider? Please note that these service providers are only allowed to provide their services if you, as their ordering party, comply with your obligations. Statutory due diligence obligations apply.