In the title compound, [Ge(C(8)H(14)NO)(2)Cl]CF(3)SO(3), which is the first complex containing an eight-membered lactam (enantholactam) as ligand, the coordination polyhedron of the Ge(IV) atom is intermediate between trigonal-bipyramidal and square-pyramidal. Quantum chemical calculations of the crystal structure indicate the absence of additional coordination bonding between the Ge(IV) atom and the trifluoromethanesulfonate anion.