Anmeldung: how to register your address in Germany
The registration that unlocks your tax ID, your bank account and most contracts — and how to get it right the first time.
Short answer
Register your address at the local Bürgeramt shortly after moving in. Bring your ID or passport, the completed registration form and the confirmation signed by your landlord (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung). You leave with a registration certificate, and your tax ID arrives by post a few weeks later.
Step by step
- 1
Secure an address that can be registered
You can only register where you actually live and where the person providing the accommodation will sign for you. Many short-term holiday rentals will not do this — ask before you book.
- 2
Book the appointment early
Most cities take bookings online. In larger cities appointments can be booked out for weeks, so reserve a slot as soon as your move-in date is fixed; you can usually cancel for free.
- 3
Get the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung signed
This is a short form confirming that you moved in, signed by your landlord or main tenant. Without it the office cannot register you, regardless of your rental contract.
- 4
Complete the registration form
Download it from your city's website and fill it in beforehand. Include everyone moving with you, and answer the religion question honestly: declaring a church membership triggers church tax.
- 5
Attend the appointment
The appointment itself is short. You receive the Meldebescheinigung, the registration certificate — keep the original and make digital copies, you will need it repeatedly.
- 6
Wait for the tax ID and broadcasting letter
The Steuer-ID arrives by post automatically. A letter about the broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) usually follows: it is charged per household, so if a flatmate already pays for the flat, you do not pay twice.
Indicative costs
The registration itself is generally free. Certified copies of the certificate, if you need extra ones later, carry a small municipal fee.
Indicative timing
Registration deadlines are set by law and are short — often around two weeks after moving in. Appointment availability varies from days to several weeks depending on the city.
Documents you need
- Valid passport or national ID card for every person registering
- Completed registration form (Anmeldeformular) from your municipality
- Wohnungsgeberbestätigung signed by the landlord or main tenant
- Marriage or birth certificates when registering a family, sometimes with translation
Common mistakes
- Booking a temporary rental that does not allow registration, and losing weeks as a result.
- Arriving without the landlord confirmation and having to book a second appointment.
- Ticking a church affiliation without realising it adds church tax to your payslip.
- Registering an address you do not live at — this is a criminal offence, not a shortcut.
Practical tips
- Check nearby districts or smaller towns in the same region: appointment waiting times differ a lot.
- Photograph every document before the appointment; a phone copy has saved many people a return trip.
- Ask for two copies of the registration certificate — employers, banks and insurers all want one.
Final checklist
- Address confirmed as registrable
- Appointment booked and saved in your calendar
- Registration form completed and signed
- Wohnungsgeberbestätigung signed by the provider of the accommodation
- Passport or ID for everyone registering
- Registration certificate stored digitally after the appointment
Frequently asked questions
- What if I have not found a permanent flat yet?
- Some temporary providers and hosts do sign the confirmation. Ask explicitly before booking, and if nobody will sign, prioritise finding an address that allows registration.
- Do I need to register again when I move within Germany?
- Yes. Every change of address needs a new registration at the responsible office, and the same documents apply.