If you sell to customers in Germany, Etsy requires you to submit a valid LUCID identification number to comply with the German Packaging Act (VerpackG). This law applies to all sellers who ship physical goods to Germany, and it helps reduce packaging waste.
If you use Printful to fulfill all your orders, you don’t need to register your business with LUCID yourself; we’ve already done that. You can simply submit Printful’s LUCID ID to Etsy. If you fulfill orders on your own or through other providers, you’ll need to use your own LUCID registration number. Learn more about the German Packaging Act and LUCID ID here.
Uploading a LUCID ID to Etsy
Follow these steps to submit your LUCID number (yours or Printful’s) to Etsy:
- Go to your Etsy Dashboard
- Navigate to Finances → Legal and tax information
- Scroll to the Government registrations section
- Find the section labeled German LUCID identification number
- Click Add LUCID ID number
- Enter the LUCID number and click Submit
Which LUCID ID should I use?
You have two options, depending on how your products are fulfilled:
Option 1: Use Printful’s LUCID ID
Use this if all of your products shipped to Germany are fulfilled by Printful.
- Printful LUCID ID: DE4402313676935
- No need to register separately or pay additional fees
- This covers orders fulfilled through Warehousing & Fulfillment as well
Option 2: Use your own LUCID ID
Use this if you:
- Ship any products yourself
- Use another fulfillment provider besides Printful
- Want to register under your business name
In this case, you’ll need to:
- Register with the German Central Packaging Register (LUCID)
- Report your annual packaging volumes
- Work with a Dual System provider to manage recycling compliance
What if Etsy asks for proof?
If Etsy or another marketplace asks why you’re using a LUCID number that doesn’t belong to your business, you can:
- Share an invoice from Printful (which includes company details)
- Provide a letter explaining that Printful handles VerpackG compliance for your orders
Important reminders
- You only need to submit your LUCID ID once per Etsy account
- You can update your LUCID ID at any time in your Etsy settings
- If you use Printful and later switch to self-fulfillment or another partner, be sure to update your LUCID registration accordingly
Need help?
If you’re unsure whether you need a Dual System or how to submit packaging-related details, Etsy’s Seller Handbook on the German Packaging Act has good resources.
Still need help? Our Support Team is here for you—reach out anytime through our contact form or start a chat with us.