Address registration (Anmeldung) in Germany

This page is for people who have just found housing in Germany or are moving within the country. It covers the registration deadline, what the landlord must give you, which exceptions exist and how your tax identification number (Steuer-ID) arrives after registration.

# Who must register an address, and when?

Everyone who moves into a home in Germany must register with the residents’ registration office (Meldebehörde) within two weeks of moving in. This is an obligation under the Federal Registration Act (BMG), and it does not depend on your immigration status.

Children under 16 are registered by the person whose home they move into.

For people under temporary protection, address registration is the third step, after initial registration and allocation to a place of residence. You register at an address in the place you were assigned to or where you live.

# Do you have to register if your housing is temporary?

In most cases, yes. The exception applies only to housing taken for a stay of no more than six months:

• if you are already registered at another home in Germany, you do not have to register such housing; but if you have not moved out after six months, you must register within two weeks;
• if you usually live abroad and are not registered in Germany, you must register after three months of such a short stay.

If you have moved to Germany to live rather than come for a short time, these exceptions do not apply to you: the general two-week deadline applies.

These exceptions do not apply to asylum seekers and other foreign nationals who live temporarily in a reception center or other housing they were assigned to.

# What must the landlord give you?

The person who provides your housing (Wohnungsgeber), usually the landlord, or someone they authorize must confirm in writing that you have moved in (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung) within the same two weeks. The confirmation can also be sent to the registration office electronically.

The law sets out what the confirmation must contain:

1. the landlord’s name and address and, if the landlord is not the owner, the owner’s name;
2. the date of moving in;
3. the address of the home;
4. the names of the people who must register.

If the landlord refuses to give you a confirmation, tell the registration office without delay. The law prohibits offering an address for a fictitious registration when the person does not live there.

# What happens if you do not register on time?

Registering late or giving incorrect information is an administrative offense, and you can be fined up to €1,000 for it. A landlord who did not give a confirmation can also be fined up to €1,000. Providing an address for a fictitious registration can lead to a fine of up to €50,000.

# How do you get your Steuer-ID after registration?

You do not need to ask for a Steuer-ID separately. After registration, the registration office passes your data to the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) itself, and the BZSt assigns the number.

• The letter with the number is sent to your registered address. As a rule, it is not sent to any other address; if someone else requests the number for you, the BZSt needs a written power of attorney.
• The number has 11 digits and is valid for life; one person can have only one number.
• For data protection reasons, the number is communicated only by letter.
• The letter may take several days. If you still have no number three months after registration, the BZSt advises sending it a copy of your identity document and your registration certificate (Meldebestätigung).

You need a Steuer-ID to start working: the federal portal germany4ukraine.de calls it mandatory. The number by itself does not give you the right to stay or to work.

The BZSt information sheet for refugees contains a sentence saying that people who have already been registered by the immigration office do not need to register separately with the registration office. That sheet explains how the Steuer-ID is assigned. It does not cancel the obligation to register your address set by the registration law, so if in doubt, check with the registration office in your city.

# What should you do if you move or leave Germany?

When you move within Germany, you register at your new address under the same rules, within two weeks of moving in.

If you are leaving for another country and have no new home in Germany, you must deregister (Abmeldung) within two weeks of moving out. You can do this no earlier than one week before you leave.

# What mistakes should you avoid?

• Missing the two-week deadline because you “do not have a residence permit yet”: address registration does not depend on the permit.
• Registering at an address where you do not live: fictitious registration carries large fines.
• Giving a different address for the Steuer-ID letter: the number is sent only to your registered address.
• Leaving Germany without deregistering.