Can I use my home address as my business address?
Many founders, freelancers and self-employed people are faced with a simple but important question at the beginning: Can I give my private home address for my company? The answer is no. In this article, you will find out when this is allowed, what risks it entails - and what professional alternatives are available to you.
Table of contents
1. basics: What counts as a business address?
A business address is the official address of a company that is visible to authorities, customers and partners. It appears, for example, in the imprint, on invoices, in the commercial register or when registering a business.
2. is the use of the residential address permitted?
Basically: Yes. It is not forbidden per se to use your private home as a business address - especially for freelancers, solo self-employed persons or in the initial phase of a company.
But: it depends on the framework conditions
- 🔹 The use must be permitted under tenancy law
- 🔹 There must be no nuisance to the neighborhood
- 🔹 The address must be summonable and permanently accessible
3. legal restrictions & risks
Tenancy law clauses
Many tenancy agreements prohibit commercial use of the apartment. A violation can lead to a warning or termination.
Lack of external impact
The address in the legal notice is public. Anyone who uses their home address potentially makes it accessible to everyone - including advertising, unsolicited mail or even personal harassment.
Unprofessional impression
A private address such as "Musterstraße 5, 3rd floor left" does not look particularly reputable to business partners. This can cost trust.
4. home address in the imprint - a problem?
According to the TMG, you must provide a summonable address for your legal notice. This means that it must be a real, physical address where you can be contacted - including for official correspondence or legal service.
The problem:
Although a residential address can be used as a summons, it is not always legally permissible (see tenancy agreement) - and it reveals an unnecessary amount of private information.
5. alternative: virtual business address with summonable character
If you don't want to rent office space - but want to protect your private address - there is an ideal solution: the virtual business address.
What is that?
You use a prestigious address (e.g. in Berlin) as your official business address - without maintaining a physical office there.
Advantages with Teeberg:
- ✔️ loadable & legally compliant
- ✔️ Tenancy law plays no role
- ✔️ protects your privacy
- ✔️ accepted for imprint, trade office & commercial register
- ✔️ Daily post-scan service included
6 Conclusion: Private or professional - your choice has consequences
Yes, you can use your home address as your business address - but you shouldn't do it lightly. Data protection, professionalism and legal risks often speak against it.
With a virtual business address from Teeberg, you get the perfect solution: secure, reputable and without fixed office space.
Secure your business address now
Start professionally - without publishing your private address. With Teeberg you get a summonable business address in Berlin - easily bookable online.
- ✔️ from 35 € / month
- ✔️ legally compliant & recognized
- ✔️ incl. digital inbox
Try Teeberg now →
