When you move into a flat in Germany, you have to register your address with the local registration office. This is called the Anmeldung, and almost everything else depends on it: your tax ID, your bank account, your health insurance and your first payslip.

Who has to register, and when?

Everyone who moves into a flat in Germany has to register within two weeks of moving in. This also applies to EU citizens and to Germans moving within the country. If you register late, you can be fined up to €1,000.

What you need

  • Your passport or national ID card, and those of family members moving with you
  • The Wohnungsgeberbestätigung: a form your landlord signs to confirm that you moved in
  • The registration form (Anmeldeformular), often available online to fill in beforehand
  • For families: marriage and birth certificates, in some offices with a translation

How it works

In most cities you book an appointment at the Bürgeramt or Bürgerbüro online. In big cities appointments can be booked out for weeks, so start looking as soon as you know your moving date. Some cities also offer online registration if you have an ID card with the online function. The appointment itself usually takes only 10 to 15 minutes and is free of charge.

At the end you receive a registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung). Keep it safe: banks, employers and other offices may ask to see it.

Your tax ID arrives by post

A few weeks after your Anmeldung, the Federal Central Tax Office sends your tax identification number (Steuer-ID) to your new address. Give it to your employer as soon as possible: without it, your employer may have to deduct tax as in tax class VI, the most expensive one. Make sure your name is on your letterbox so the letter reaches you. Any tax deducted too much comes back with your tax return.

The religion question

The registration form asks about your religion. If you enter a church that collects church tax, such as the Catholic or Protestant church, church tax will be deducted from your salary. Answer carefully: this is one of the most common surprises for newcomers.

Moving again or leaving Germany

If you move within Germany, you register at your new address within two weeks; the old registration ends automatically. If you leave Germany, you have to deregister (Abmeldung), usually within two weeks of moving out. Keep the deregistration certificate: it is also useful for your last tax return in Germany.

Book your Bürgeramt appointment as soon as you sign your rental contract. It is the step that unlocks everything else.

Once your Steuer-ID has arrived, you're ready for your first German tax return. Flinktax guides you through it in English, German, Turkish or Russian.

Start your tax return

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