Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has been in effect for electrical equipment and batteries for about 20 years. In Germany, stiftung ear has been coordinating the implementation of related processes since then: producer registration, acceptance of quantity notifications, coordination of waste management, etc. But how do you actually register as a producer with the foundation? You’ll find all the essential information about stiftung ear registration in this blog article.
Glossary
A representative for foreign producers without an establishment in Germany. The Authorized Representative assumes all legal obligations of the producer with stiftung ear. They ensure that the required legal provisions under the laws ElektroG and BattDG are met.
The Battery Act (BattG, now BattDG, Battery Act Implementation Law) regulates the take-back and disposal of batteries and accumulators in Germany. It requires producers to register with stiftung ear before placing batteries on the German market. Producers must finance the disposal and recycling of their batteries.
An official directive from stiftung ear to a producer to collect full containers of waste electrical equipment from collection points. Producers must carry out the collection according to their market share. They can fulfill this themselves or commission a disposal company.
The Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act regulates the registration, take-back, and disposal of electrical equipment in Germany. According to Section 6, Paragraph 1 ElektroG, every first distributor must register with stiftung ear. The law transposes the European WEEE Directive into German law.
Extended Producer Responsibility means that producers are responsible for the disposal of their products. In the ElektroG, this is reflected through the obligation to collect and properly dispose of waste equipment. Producers bear the costs for take-back and recycling according to their market share.
A unique number issued to companies by national authorities after successful registration, confirming EPR compliance. The EPR number is increasingly requested by online marketplaces like Amazon to verify compliance. For electrical equipment, it is called WEEE number and for batteries battery registration number (Batt-Reg.-Nr. DE).
An annual security deposit for financing the disposal of waste equipment. It is only required for B2C equipment (equipment for private households). If no producer is registered anymore, public waste management organizations take over disposal and are reimbursed from the guarantee funds.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. WEEE refers to discarded electrical or electronic equipment at the end of its life cycle.
What is stiftung ear?
The stiftung elektro-altgeräte register (stiftung ear) acts as an authority in Germany. It was commissioned by the Federal Environment Agency to enforce major parts of electrical and battery law. Producers who place electrical or electronic equipment and producers who place batteries on the German market are registered with stiftung ear. It issues the WEEE number and the battery number (EPR numbers) and also coordinates collection orders for electrical equipment.
Legal Basis: ElektroG and BattDG
Within the EPR framework, ElektroG (amended for the second time in 2025) and BattG (replaced by BattDG) define the obligations for placing electrical equipment and batteries on the market. The responsible registration office stiftung ear collects administrative fees and coordinates take-back and disposal structures. The goal is cost distribution according to the polluter pays principle and ensuring organized, nationwide collection and recycling. Producers based in Germany can implement their registrations with stiftung ear themselves or have them implemented through a service provider. Administrative fees from stiftung ear are typically collected from German companies via SEPA direct debit. For companies without a German establishment, processing is handled through an Authorized Representative. Read more about authorization here in this article or here in our separate article about Authorized Representatives.
How Does stiftung ear Registration Work?
Categorization
Before registration, electrical equipment must be categorized. Categories are specified by stiftung ear. For companies selling B2C or B2C equipment, the following equipment categories exist:
- Temperature exchange equipment, that can be used in private households
- Screens that can be used in private households
- Gas discharge lamps, that can be used in private households
- Lamps, that can be used in private households
- Large equipment, that can be used in private households
- Large photovoltaic modules, that can be used in private households
- Small equipment, that can be used in private households
- Small photovoltaic modules, that can be used in private households
- Small It and telecommunication equipment, that can be used in private households
stiftung ear also provides a tool for equipment classification. You can find it here (German only).
It can be worth entering your equipment beforehand and checking. Many products are miscategorized on the first attempt. For example, tablets are screen equipment, and luminaires are either small equipment (table lamps) or large equipment (floor lamps), depending on size. However, some equipment falls outside the scope of application, such as spare parts. These are exempt from registration requirements under ElektroG.
Battery categorization is significantly more straightforward. Since January 1, 2026, there are five battery categories to consider in Germany:
- Electric vehicle battery
- Light means of transport battery (LMT battery)
- Starting, lighting and ignition battery (SLI battery)
- Industrial battery
- Portable battery
For the sale of classic household products with batteries, such as smartphones or string lights, registration in the “portable batteries” category is required.
stiftung ear Registration in the Online Portal
Once you’ve assigned your equipment to the correct categories, you can proceed with the application for registration. This is submitted online through the ear portal. There you provide information about your company, the equipment category, and, if applicable, the Authorized Representative. You can view your registration status at any time in the portal. For foreign companies without a German establishment, your Authorized Representative handles the registration in the ear portal for you.
One registration number applies to each company for all subordinate brands. Each brand still receives its own registration certificate.
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ecosistant acts as your WEEE and battery Authorized Representative and assumes all your obligations under ElektroG and BattDG in Germany and for all your target markets within the EU + Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Collection Orders & Insolvency-Proof Guarantee
Waste electrical equipment in Germany is typically dropped off by consumers at recycling centers and then collected by registered producers or commissioned disposal companies. To have a disposal company take care of collection for you, you must enter into a contract with an approved disposal company and put the information in the ear portal. Collection follows a lottery system. This means: if you’re registered with stiftung ear, you may receive a collection order and then be responsible for collecting and disposing of the corresponding waste equipment. If you’ve appointed an Authorized Representative, they will handle the collection order with an approved disposal company.
A special feature in Germany is the so-called insolvency-proof guarantee. It applies if no producer is registered with stiftung ear anymore for a particular equipment type. By enforcing the guarantees, financing of waste equipment disposal is secured for municipalities. The insolvency-proof guarantee must be deposited by every producer of B2C equipment during registration in the ear portal and must be paid and verified anew each year. The insolvency-proof guarantee must be obtained for each covered category according to your planned equipment sales volumes. The collective insolvency-proof guarantee is recommended. This can be purchased from a guarantee service provider.
Authorization
Producers without a German establishment must appoint an Authorized Representative who assumes fulfillment of legal obligations. Core tasks of Authorized Representatives include registration, product categorization (e.g., equipment categories under ElektroG or battery types under BattDG), and regular quantity reports.
The obligation to appoint an Authorized Representative for battery registration also came into force in August 2025 and has been mandatory since January 1, 2026.
stiftung ear Registration: Your Certificate
After successful registration, you receive your registration certificate by email and are publicly listed in the corresponding register of registered producers. Your registration number authorizes you to sell electrical equipment or batteries in Germany legally. If you also sell to other EU countries, the respective national laws based on the EU WEEE Directive and the EU Battery Regulation Batt2 apply.
If you sell both electrical equipment and batteries, you must register separately for both in Germany and receive two separate numbers.
Important: You must state the registration number(s) on invoices and during the sales process.
ecosistant Services
If you need help with your electrical or battery registration in Germany, contact us! The ecosistant team is happy to support you.
For self-implementation as a German company, we recommend our digital guide. If you need an Authorized Representative, we recommend using our Authorized Representative service. We’re happy to handle the complete implementation for you. Discover our WEEE and Battery Service.
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Frequently Asked Questions About stiftung ear Registration
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Every producer who places electrical or electronic equipment or batteries on the German market must register with stiftung ear. Foreign producers without a German establishment need an Authorized Representative to handle the registration.
The fees for registration and additional services are regulated in the fee schedule. You can find a fee overview on the stiftung ear website.
Initial registration for electrical equipment currently costs €9.50 per equipment type and brand. For B2C equipment, additional annual fees apply for updating the insolvency-proof guarantee, calculated according to this formula: equipment quantity per equipment type in tons × return rate in percent × estimated disposal costs in euros per ton. The guarantee review by stiftung ear costs €3.80 annually. Additionally, there’s a quarterly fee of €32.80 and, if necessary, a one-time fee for confirming the Authorized Representative of €50.60.
For batteries, the registration fee per category and brand is €16.40, and the quarterly fee is €3.80.
Processing time for battery registration takes between 3 to a maximum of 12 weeks, depending on workload. For electrical equipment, stiftung ear requires approximately 4 to 12 weeks.
The WEEE number is an eight-digit producer number issued after successful registration of electrical equipment. The battery registration number (Batt-Reg.-Nr. DE) is also eight digits and is issued for battery registration. Both numbers must be stated during product sales and on invoices.
Yes, if you sell both electrical equipment and batteries, you must register separately for both in Germany. You receive two separate registration numbers: a WEEE number for electrical equipment and a Batt-Reg.-Nr. for batteries.
If you receive a collection order, you are responsible for collecting and disposing of waste electrical equipment from collection points. Collection follows a lottery system. You can carry out the collection yourself or register a disposal company in the stiftung ear portal to do this on your behalf.
You only need to deposit an insolvency-proof guarantee for B2C equipment (equipment for private households). It is verified during registration in the ear portal and must be updated every year. No insolvency-proof guarantee is required for B2B equipment.
After successful registration, you receive your registration certificate by email. You are also publicly listed in the register of registered producers with name, registration number, postal code and equipment category and type. If you’ve commissioned an Authorized Representative or service provider, you receive your registration certificates and numbers from them.