What does a German authorised representative cost?
There is no single answer, because the price you pay is made up of two completely different things. Understanding that split is the most useful thing you can do before you contact any provider. This page explains the components, shows one fully worked example with real published figures, and sets out what we could and could not verify.
Your invoice has two separate parts
Almost every quote you will receive combines two charges that behave very differently. Providers do not always separate them clearly, which is why headline prices are hard to compare.
| Representation fee | System participation |
|---|---|
| The provider acting as your authorised representative and handling your obligations | The actual recycling of your packaging through a German dual system |
| Usually a fixed annual amount | By weight and material type of everything you ship |
| No | Yes, directly |
| No, if you are obliged to appoint a representative | No, if your packaging requires system participation |
This is why a provider quoting "€99 per year" and a provider quoting "€400 per year" may not be more or less expensive than each other. The first figure may cover representation only, with recycling billed separately, while the second may already include a volume estimate. Always ask which of the two a quoted price refers to.
A worked example
Der Grüne Punkt publishes its prices in an online configurator, which makes it possible to show a complete calculation. On 15 August 2026 we entered a business shipping 600 kg of glass and 830 kg of paper, cardboard and carton per year, and the configurator returned the following:
| System participation (600 kg glass + 830 kg paper/cardboard) | € 233.46 |
| Annual processing fee | € 99.00 |
| One-time setup fee | € 49.00 |
| Total for the first year | € 381.46 |
Figures as shown in the Der Grüne Punkt configurator on 15 August 2026, excluding VAT where applicable. Your own figures will differ, because system participation depends entirely on your packaging weights and materials.
Note what this example shows: the representation itself accounts for €148 of the total, while €233 is the recycling cost for the packaging. For a seller shipping less, the recycling share falls and the fixed fee dominates. For a seller shipping considerably more, the opposite happens.
What we could verify, and what we could not
We only publish prices we have checked ourselves against the provider's own website, with the date we checked. At the time of writing, most providers in our directory do not publish a price for packaging representation at all.
- One provider publishes a complete, calculable price: Der Grüne Punkt, through its verpackgo configurator.
- Several providers describe a fixed annual representation fee but we have not yet confirmed the current amount in their ordering process.
- Several providers price by annual volume per country, which means no single figure exists.
- The remaining providers quote on request only.
Where our comparison table shows "On request" or "Not yet checked", that reflects the state of our verification, not a judgement about the provider. We would rather show nothing than show a figure we cannot stand behind.
Questions worth asking any provider
Whatever quote you receive, these five questions will tell you what you are actually buying:
- Does this price include system participation, or is that billed separately?
- Is the representation fee fixed, or does it change with my shipping volume?
- Is there a one-time setup or onboarding fee?
- What is the minimum contract term and the notice period?
- Does this cover packaging only, or also WEEE and batteries if I need them?
One thing a representative cannot do for you
Registration in the LUCID packaging register is treated as a personal obligation and generally cannot be delegated. According to the Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister, this is the one duty an authorised representative cannot take over on your behalf. Any quote should be read with that in mind: you will still need to register, and then name your representative inside the portal.
Last updated: .
Not sure whether this applies to you at all? Read do I need an authorised representative.