Registration in Germany (Anmeldung)

If you will be staying in Germany for longer than three months, you need to register your address at your local citizens’ office (Bürgeramt). This process is commonly known as the "Anmeldung" (registration). This page explains how you register your address in Germany.

Why you need to register your address in Germany

Meldepflicht (compulsory registration) requires everyone, whether German or international, to register at their home address. Registration authorities (Meldebehörde) register the persons residing in their area of jurisdiction in order to track population and places of residence.

Your registration appointment (Anmeldung) is the most important step when relocating to Germany, as it provides you with your registration certificate (Anmeldebestätigung). You will need this for all kinds of administrative tasks in the country, for instance applying for a residence permit, opening a bank account or applying for certain social security benefits.  

When you register, you will also automatically receive your tax ID. This separate document is a unique number provided to you by the Federal Central Tax Office. Although you can start working without a tax ID, your employer will need it to work out what rate of income tax you should pay. It may also be required for taking out health insurance or starting a pension.

You not only need to register when you first arrive in Germany, but every time you change address. If and when you leave Germany permanently, you’ll also need to deregister.

Does everyone need to register?

In general, yes, everyone living in Germany needs to register. You only do not need to register if:

• You are visiting for less than three months. However, if you are going to be working or studying, you need to register.
• You are already registered at an address in Germany, and you move, but you are staying at the new address for less than six months.

Before you start: Make sure you can register

Since the Anmeldung is such an important administrative process, it’s really important that, when you are looking for somewhere to live in Germany, you check that you will be able to register at the property. 

Since 2015, landlords have been legally required to cooperate with registration by providing tenants with a proof of residence certificate (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung). A scrupulous landlord should have no problem giving you this, as it is a legal requirement.

If they are unwilling to provide a proof of residence certificate or say you cannot register at the property, it is usually a sign that it is an illegal sublet. As so much bureaucracy in Germany depends on having a certificate of registration, it would be inadvisable to rent a place from a landlord who refuses to provide a residence confirmation. You are not able to register with a rental contract alone.

Note that you may not be able to register at a commercial property like a hotel or Airbnb let. The owner or landlord is only obliged to let you register if you live there for more than three months.

Anmeldung: Documents needed to register

You should also make sure you have the required documents before you try to register. The required documents for an Anmeldung are usually:

• Valid passport or ID card (not a driving licence).
• Visa (if applicable).
• Proof of residence certificate (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung - see above).
• Completed registration form (if applicable).
• Marriage certificate (if applicable).
• Child’s birth certificate (if you are also registering your child)

Note: if you are registering multiple people at the same time (i.e. your partner or children), you’ll need all of their documents as well. It is acceptable to have one proof of residence certificate for more than one person.

Documents that are not in German or English (such as marriage certificates or birth certificates) may need a certified translation.

How to register in Germany

There are two ways you can register in Germany: online and in person. If you are registering in Germany for the first time, having moved here from abroad, you must register in person. Online registration is only possible if you have previously registered in Germany and are changing address - see below.

Officially, you are required to register within 14 days of moving into a new address in Germany, but this rule is rarely enforced, since it can be tricky to get an appointment to register, particularly in large German cities.

How to do your Anmeldung in person

Once you have a fixed address in Germany, you can proceed with your Anmeldung. If you are registering in Germany for the first time, you need to do it in person at your local citizens’ office. 

Getting an Anmeldung appointment

It’s best to make an appointment to register. You can usually do this online:

• Book an Anmeldung appointment in Berlin
• Book an Anmeldung appointment in Bremen
• Book an Anmeldung appointment in Cologne
• Book an Anmeldung appointment in Düsseldorf
• Book an Anmeldung appointment in Frankfurt
• Book an Anmeldung appointment in Hamburg
• Book an Anmeldung appointment in Munich
• Book an Anmeldung appointment in Stuttgart
• For other cities: Search “Anmeldung Termin vereinbaren + [city name]”

Note that appointments are limited and it is not always possible to get an appointment within the two-week cut-off period. However, the 14-day cut-off is not normally strictly enforced. It’s worth checking the websites regularly, as new appointments do appear. 

If you urgently need your registration certificate or tax ID, some citizens’ offices offer drop-in appointments on specific days or at specific times. 

Citizens’ offices (Bürgerämter) contact details

You can find your local citizens' office by selecting "Einwohnermeldeamt" and entering your postcode on the Deutsche Post website. There are usually multiple ones in each German city. You do not necessarily need to register at the office closest to you, so it might be worth going to one further away if they have an appointment available sooner.

The registration appointment

When you show up for your appointment, you should arrive early with all of your documents (see what’s required below). You will need to make your way to the correct waiting room and wait for your number to be called. 

The appointment itself lasts about 10-15 minutes, as the official checks your documents and fills in the paperwork. You will receive your stamped certificate of registration (Anmeldebestätigung) immediately. Your tax ID will arrive separately in the post within two to three weeks.

Staff cannot always be expected to speak English and so the registration appointment will usually be conducted in German. If possible, take a German speaker along with you. You can often print off and fill out the registration form (Anmeldeformular) in advance from your citizens' office's website, to help you prepare.

It is also possible for someone who speaks German to attend the appointment in your place. They will need a letter signed by you authorising them to act on your behalf (known as a Vollmacht). They will also have to take your completed registration form and corroborating documents along with them, as well as their own passport or identity card.  

After your appointment, make sure you check the information provided on your Anmeldebestätigung, as it’s not uncommon for employees to make mistakes. If you find an error, contact your citizens’ office as soon as possible. 

Church tax (Kirchensteuer)

You will be asked at your registration appointment whether you belong to a religious denomination. If you identify as either Protestant (evangelisch) or Catholic (katholisch), you will be expected to pay a church tax of between 8 and 9 percent of your annual income tax. To avoid paying it, make sure you register yourself as "without religion" (ohne Religion).

Changing address in Germany (Ummeldung)

If you change your address in Germany you will need to register at your new address within two weeks. You do not need to de-register from your old address; your old municipality will be automatically informed of your new address. 

Since this is not your first registration in Germany, you may be able to register online, or do it in person.  

How to do your Ummeldung online

In some parts of Germany, it is also possible to do your Ummeldung online, for free. However, this is only possible if you have already previously registered in Germany and you are moving to an address in:

• Baden-Württemberg (certain municipalities only)
• Bavaria (certain municipalities only)
• Berlin
• Bremen
• Hamburg
• Hesse (certain municipalities only)
• Lower Saxony (certain municipalities only)
• Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (certain municipalities only)
• North Rhine-Westphalia (certain municipalities only)
• Rhineland-Palatinate (certain municipalities only)
• Saxony-Anhalt (certain municipalities only)
• Schleswig-Holstein

You can see a full list of where online registration is possible on the WohnsitzAnmeldung.gov.de website.

In addition, you must also have the following to be able to register online in Germany:

• German or EU citizenship
• A valid identity card with the eID function activated
• An NFC-enabled smartphone 
• The AusweisApp
• A proof of residence certificate

Online Ummeldung is done via the Gemeinsam-Online website, operated by the German Federal Government. 

How to do your Ummeldung in person

If you cannot use the online registration service, you will need to register your new address in person, as you did for your Anmeldung, following the same steps outlined above. 

In addition to the documents outlined above, you should also bring the following to your appointment:

• Your residence permit - so it can be updated with your new address.
• Your vehicle registration papers (if applicable) - so they can be updated with your new address. 

De-registering in Germany (Abmeldung)

If you are leaving Germany permanently, you also need to de-register at the citizens' office within two weeks of moving out. This process is known as an Abmeldung. 

When do I de-register?

You need to de-register if:

• You are moving away from Germany permanently
• You are leaving one of your registered addresses (for instance if you are registered at two apartments, and you sell one of them)

You do not need to de-register if:

• You move to a new address in Germany - when you re-register (ummelden), you are automatically de-registered from your old address
• You temporarily move away from Germany, as long as you will return to the same address later
• You never registered in the first place

Why the Abmeldung is important

It’s important to do your Abmeldung because it gets you a deregistration certificate (Abmeldebescheinigung). You will need this certificate to:

• Cancel your health insurance
• Cancel your contracts with your mobile phone, internet and energy providers
• Stop paying the TV and radio tax (Rundfunkbeitrag)
• Get your pension contributions refunded (if eligible)

How to deregister in Germany

You can deregister in Germany in person or by post. If you urgently need your Abmeldebescheinigung (for instance, to cancel a contract), it’s safest to do it in person, as you receive the certificate at the end of the appointment. 

You can de-register up to seven days before and 14 days after you move out of your address. 

You need to book an appointment, as you did when you first registered your address. You’ll need to bring a form of ID and (to be on the safe side) proof of your move-out date. 

If you can’t attend an appointment in person, you can fill out the Abmeldung form online and send it by post to your local citizens' office. You’ll need to provide a forwarding address, but note that some citizens’ offices do not send the deregistration certificate to addresses abroad. That’s why it’s best to attend in person if you really need the certificate. 

Penalties for not registering

Registering is compulsory for all citizens by law. Remaining unregistered, giving incorrect details or registering late are not permitted. If you do not register correctly, you could be fined up to 1.000 euros.