Key takeaways
- A LUCID number is your registration ID in Germany's LUCID Packaging Register, run by the ZSVR. You need it before placing packaging on the German market.
- Since 12 August 2026, the EU PPWR and Germany's VerpackDG have replaced the old Packaging Act (VerpackG). Registration, system participation and data reporting remain.
- Sellers based outside Germany that ship directly to German end users must now appoint an authorised representative, named in LUCID at registration.
- Registration alone is not enough: most consumer packaging also needs a dual system contract and matching volume reports.
In short: A LUCID number is the registration ID a company gets in Germany's LUCID Packaging Register, run by the ZSVR. Any producer of packaging in Germany needs one, including foreign online sellers shipping to German customers. Since 12 August 2026, the PPWR and VerpackDG apply, and sellers without a German branch must appoint an authorised representative.
Updated October 2026. A LUCID number is the registration number issued by Germany's Central Agency Packaging Register (Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister, ZSVR). A company receives it when it registers in the LUCID Packaging Register. Any business that is the producer of packaging in Germany must register in LUCID before it places packaging on the German market. This includes foreign online sellers shipping directly to German customers.
Since 12 August 2026, the rules behind the LUCID number have changed. The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) now applies directly. Germany's new Packaging Law Implementation Act (VerpackDG) has replaced the old Packaging Act (VerpackG). This guide explains what a LUCID number is, who needs one under the new rules, and what changed for sellers based outside Germany.
What is a LUCID number?
A LUCID number is a unique registration ID in the LUCID Packaging Register, run by the ZSVR. It shows that a company has registered as a producer of packaging in Germany. Registration is free and done online.
The ZSVR publishes a public register of producers. So marketplaces, customers and authorities can check whether a seller is registered.
The LUCID number is part of Germany's extended producer responsibility (EPR) system for packaging. Under EPR, producers pay for the collection and recycling of the packaging they put on the market.
Who needs a LUCID number?
The producer needs a LUCID number. Under the PPWR and VerpackDG, the obligation sits with the producer: the first company in the German supply chain that makes packaging available in Germany.
According to the ZSVR, a foreign company counts as the producer when it ships from abroad directly to an end user in Germany. That end user can be a consumer or a business.
In practice, you usually need a LUCID registration if you are:
- A manufacturer or brand owner selling packaged goods in Germany
- An importer bringing packaged goods into Germany
- An online retailer or marketplace seller shipping orders to customers in Germany, including from another country
- A company that fills or ships packaging under its own name or brand
There is no turnover threshold that exempts small sellers. What matters is your role in the supply chain and the packaging you make available in Germany.
What changed on 12 August 2026?
On 12 August 2026, the rules changed who must meet the packaging obligations and under what conditions. The ZSVR confirms that the core obligations for packaging subject to system participation stay the same. These are registration, system participation and data reporting.
| Topic | Before 12 August 2026 (VerpackG) | From 12 August 2026 (PPWR + VerpackDG) |
|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | German Packaging Act (VerpackG) | EU Regulation 2025/40 (PPWR), applied in Germany through the VerpackDG |
| LUCID registration | Required before placing packaging on the market | Still required, and it remains each producer's personal obligation |
| Foreign sellers without a German branch | Could appoint an authorised representative voluntarily | Must appoint an authorised representative in Germany, named in LUCID at registration |
| Who is responsible | The company first placing filled packaging on the market | The PPWR separates the manufacturer (packaging conformity) from the producer (EPR obligations) |
| Packaging outside the dual system | Return and recovery obligations | Same obligations, plus ZSVR authorisation required after a transition period ending in late 2027 |
Do sellers outside Germany need an authorised representative?
Yes. Companies based abroad that sell packaged goods directly to end users in Germany, without a German branch, must now appoint an authorised representative. The representative takes on the company's extended producer responsibility obligations in Germany.
The ZSVR is clear that LUCID registration itself stays the producer's own responsibility. It cannot be delegated. You must name the representative in LUCID when you register. Foreign producers who were already registered are prompted to add the missing authorisation when they log in.
How do you get a LUCID number? Step by step
- Check your role. Confirm whether you are the producer for the packaging you ship to Germany, using the ZSVR's guidance on manufacturers and producers.
- Appoint an authorised representative if you are based outside Germany and sell directly to German end users.
- Register in LUCID on the ZSVR portal, with your company details, the brand names you sell under and, where required, your authorised representative.
- Join a dual system. For sales and grouped packaging that typically ends up with private end consumers, sign a system participation contract with a licensed dual system operator.
- Report your packaging volumes in LUCID and to your dual system. The figures must match.
- Keep your registration current. Update LUCID when your brands, legal entity or representative change, and check whether a declaration of completeness applies to you.
What happens if you are not registered?
Selling packaged goods in Germany without a valid LUCID registration breaks German packaging law. It can lead to fines and a ban on selling the affected products. Because the producer register is public, authorities and competitors can easily spot missing registrations.
Is a LUCID number the same as a dual system licence?
No. A LUCID number alone does not make you compliant. Registration tells the authorities who you are. The dual system contract pays for the collection and recycling of your packaging. Data reporting proves the volumes. You need all three for packaging subject to system participation.
How can Taxually help?
EcoTax by Taxually manages packaging EPR obligations in Germany and other EU countries. This includes LUCID registration, system participation and reporting, so you can keep selling into Germany under the new PPWR rules. Contact our team to check what applies to your business.
How Taxually handles this
Taxually’s EcoTax registers you with the right EPR schemes in Germany, France and Spain, provides the registration numbers marketplaces such as Amazon ask for, and handles the periodic volume reports and payments to producer responsibility organisations, including the Spanish plastic packaging tax.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a LUCID number?
A LUCID number is the registration number a company receives when it registers as a producer of packaging in Germany's LUCID Packaging Register, operated by the Central Agency Packaging Register (ZSVR).
Do I need a LUCID number if I sell to Germany from another country?
Usually yes. Under the PPWR and Germany's VerpackDG, a foreign company is the producer when it ships packaged goods directly to end users in Germany, so it must register in LUCID. Since 12 August 2026 it must also appoint an authorised representative in Germany if it has no German branch.
Does the PPWR replace the LUCID register?
No. The PPWR requires each EU country to keep a national producer register, and Germany continues to use LUCID. The German Packaging Act (VerpackG) was replaced by the VerpackDG on 12 August 2026, but LUCID registration remains mandatory.
Can my authorised representative register in LUCID for me?
No. According to the ZSVR, LUCID registration remains the producer's personal obligation. The authorised representative takes on your other EPR obligations and must be named in LUCID when you register.
Is a LUCID number enough to be compliant?
No. For sales and grouped packaging that reaches private end consumers, you also need a contract with a dual system operator and must report your packaging volumes in LUCID and to your dual system.
Is there a minimum sales threshold for LUCID registration?
No. There is no general turnover threshold. The obligation depends on your role in the supply chain and the packaging you make available in Germany.
