An Unbedenklichkeitsbescheinigung confirms that a company has paid its social security contributions, accident insurance contributions or taxes up to the date of issue. It has no statutory validity period. For construction work, main contractors need certificates that cover the whole contract period without gaps.
Last updated · ExpiryEdge editorial team
A German clearance certificate (Unbedenklichkeitsbescheinigung) is a snapshot: it confirms contributions or taxes were paid up to its date and has no legal expiry. In construction, a main contractor can avoid liability for a subcontractor's social security and BG BAU contributions only with certificates covering the entire contract period without gaps, or a pre-qualification entry (section 28e SGB IV, from EUR 275,000 per building).
Different bodies issue different certificates. None has a statutory validity period; what matters is that they cover the period of the contract.
| Certificate | What it shows | Why it matters | How often in practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health insurer / collection agency (electronic eUB; procedure extended on 1 July 2026) | Proper payment of social security contributions and number of employees registered | Liability under § 28e SGB IV from EUR 275,000 per building; gap-free certificates are the safest exculpation | Re-requested regularly for the contract period, often monthly to quarterly per contract |
| BG BAU qualified certificate (qUB) | Registered company parts, wage sums and payment of accident insurance contributions | Liability under § 150 (3) SGB VII, same rules as § 28e | Chained so cover runs from award to completion |
| Tax office (Bescheinigung in Steuersachen) | Tax compliance at the date of issue | Reliability in tenders and subcontracts | Per contract; recency set by the client |
| SOKA-BAU certificate | Contributions to the construction industry fund reported and paid | Liability for minimum wage and fund contributions under § 14 AEntG, with no threshold | Per contract terms |
| Pre-qualification (PQ list entry) | Company is pre-qualified | Alternative way to avoid § 28e liability | Entry renewed annually |
| Not the same: exemption certificate under § 48b EStG | Exemption from the 15 % construction withholding tax | Without it, 15 % of each payment must be withheld | Validity printed on it, usually up to 3 years |
There is no legal validity period. The certificate shows the situation on the day it was issued. How recent it must be is decided by the recipient - often written into the subcontract as "not older than 3 months" - and, for main-contractor liability, by the need for gap-free cover over the whole contract.
Often enough that the certificates together cover the contract from award to completion. In practice, main contractors request them monthly or quarterly while a subcontractor is on site, and once more at completion. Set the rhythm in the subcontract so the subcontractor knows it is coming.
Yes. A subcontractor's employees may be insured with different health insurers, and each collection agency issues its own certificate. Ask for all of them, or for a confirmation that covers every insurer the company pays into.
The exemption certificate under section 48b of the Income Tax Act (Freistellungsbescheinigung) is a different document: it frees you from withholding 15 % construction tax from payments. It has a printed validity date, usually up to 3 years, and can be checked online with the Federal Central Tax Office. Track both separately.
List which certificates you need, how recent they must be and how often you will request them during the work.
Health insurer certificates, BG BAU qUB, tax office certificate, SOKA-BAU certificate and the exemption certificate under § 48b, or proof of pre-qualification.
Note the date and covered period, not just the upload date, so you can see where cover ends.
Send the next request a few weeks before the covered period ends, with automatic follow-up until it arrives.
Collect a final set covering the end of the work and keep the full chain with the project file.
Send each subcontractor one request link for all the certificates you need. ExpiryEdge follows up automatically until everything is in. If a certificate is for the wrong company or too old, reject that one document with a comment; the same link asks for just that correction.
One link for all certificates
Automatic follow-up
Reject and re-request a single document
Each certificate is a dated record per subcontractor and project. Set the rhythm from your subcontract - monthly, quarterly or "not older than 3 months" - and ExpiryEdge sends the next request in time and reminds the site manager. The timestamped history shows the chain was complete.
Rhythm per certificate type
Site manager and purchasing reminded
Export of the full chain per project
There is no statutory validity period; it confirms the situation on its date of issue. Clients usually require certificates no older than a set period, often 3 months, and main contractors need gap-free cover for the whole contract.
Often enough to cover the contract from award to completion without gaps - in practice monthly or quarterly while the subcontractor is working, plus a final one at completion.
There is no general obligation to obtain one, but in construction it is the main way for a main contractor to avoid liability for a subcontractor's unpaid social security and accident insurance contributions (section 28e SGB IV, section 150 SGB VII), unless the subcontractor is pre-qualified.
Health insurers already issue clearance certificates electronically, requested through payroll software; on 1 July 2026 the procedure was extended (certificates per establishment, subscriptions, new refusal reasons). The content - payment status and registered employees - is the same; the request and delivery are digital.
No. The certificate the land registry needs after a property purchase (section 22 of the Real Estate Transfer Tax Act) confirms the transfer tax is paid. This page covers certificates collected from contractors and subcontractors.
No. Liability for a subcontractor's minimum wages and SOKA-BAU contributions under section 14 AEntG has no threshold and no exculpation certificate. Main contractors use declarations, SOKA-BAU certificates and contractual audit rights; take legal advice for your contracts.
Send one request link, set the re-request rhythm, export the chain per project. Free 14-day trial, no credit card.
