Anmeldung in Germany: Deadline, Documents, and Appointment

The Anmeldung in Germany is the mandatory registration of your address at the local registration office (Bürgeramt or Einwohnermeldeamt), and you have 14 days from the day you move in to complete it.¹ It applies to German citizens changing cities and to foreign nationals arriving from abroad alike, and the confirmation you receive at the end is what unlocks nearly everything else: a bank account, a work contract, health insurance, a mobile phone plan, a tax ID.

The 14-Day Deadline and Who It Applies To

Section 17 of the Federal Registration Act (Bundesmeldegesetz, or BMG) requires anyone who moves into a residence to register with the local authority within two weeks of the actual move-in date.¹ “Moving in” means physically taking up residence in the space. The clock starts the day you sleep there, not the day you get the keys.

Two groups get an exemption. If you are already registered at an address in Germany and move into a second residence for six months or less, you do not need to register at the temporary address. If you live abroad and have no existing German registration, you only become subject to the requirement after staying three months.¹ Everyone else falls under the 14-day window.

One detail trips up newcomers. When you move from one German city to another, you only register at your new address. That registration automatically updates the old one. Separate deregistration (Abmeldung) at your former city is not required. Deregistration is only for people leaving Germany entirely.

Documents You Need to Bring

The office needs three things, and missing any one of them usually means a wasted trip.

The Registration Form (Anmeldeformular)

This is the standard form capturing your personal details: full name, date of birth, nationality, marital status, previous address, and exact move-in date. Most municipal websites offer a downloadable version you can fill out in advance. Your name must match your passport or ID card exactly, including diacritical marks and middle names. The form also asks you to declare your religious affiliation if you belong to a tax-collecting church or religious community, which has direct financial consequences discussed below.

The Landlord Confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)

Under Section 19 of the BMG, whoever provides your housing must give you a written confirmation of your move-in that lists the landlord’s name and address, your move-in date, the apartment address, and the names of everyone registering.¹ A copy of your lease is not a substitute. Landlords are legally required to provide this form within the same two-week window.² If yours is dragging their feet, the law obligates their cooperation just as much as it obligates your registration.

If you are subletting, the main tenant can sign the confirmation on your behalf, provided they have the property owner’s permission to sublet. The form should still include the actual owner’s name alongside the main tenant’s details.

Identification

Bring a valid passport or national ID card. EU and EEA citizens can use their national ID card. Non-EU residents should bring a passport along with the visa or residence permit that allowed entry.³ If your residence permit has not been issued yet, the initial entry visa works. Originals only, no copies.

Booking the Appointment

Most registration offices require an appointment booked through an online portal. In Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, and Frankfurt, available slots are often booked out two to six weeks in advance. This creates an obvious conflict with the 14-day deadline, and it is the most stressful part of the process for people who just arrived.

In practice, clerks rarely penalize someone who booked the earliest available appointment, even if that appointment falls weeks after the deadline. What matters is that you tried. Take a screenshot of the booking portal showing that no earlier slots were available on the day you searched. That is your evidence of good-faith effort. Check the portal early in the morning, especially on Mondays, when cancellations tend to open up. Some cities also allow walk-ins during certain hours, though this usually means long waits.

When you arrive, you check in at a kiosk or reception desk and receive a queue number. The meeting itself takes about 10 to 20 minutes if your paperwork is complete. The clerk reviews your documents, enters your information into the federal population database, and hands you a confirmation. No fee is charged for the initial registration.

What You Walk Away With

The Registration Confirmation (Anmeldebestätigung)

At the end of the appointment, the clerk issues an Anmeldebestätigung showing your name, date of birth, and newly registered address. This is your proof of registration and one of the most important papers you will receive in Germany. You need it to open a bank account, enroll in health insurance, sign up for a mobile phone contract, and handle dozens of other administrative tasks.⁴ Keep it safe. If you later need an additional official certificate (Meldebescheinigung), most offices charge a small fee, typically €5 to €15.

Your Tax Identification Number (Steueridentifikationsnummer)

Registration triggers a notification to the Federal Central Tax Office. If you are registering in Germany for the first time, that office generates an 11-digit tax identification number and mails it to your registered address. This number is permanently assigned and never changes, even if you move, change your name, or get married.⁵ You need it before you can start formal employment. The letter usually arrives within two to four weeks, though delays are common. If you already had a German tax ID from a previous stay, re-registering does not generate a new one. Your existing number stays, and the tax office updates your address.

What Registration Sets in Motion Financially

Broadcasting Fee (Rundfunkbeitrag)

Shortly after you register, the public broadcasting contribution service will contact you by mail. The registration office automatically shares your data with them.⁶ Every household in Germany owes a flat monthly fee of €18.36, regardless of whether you own a television or radio. The fee is per household, not per person, so if you live with roommates, only one person needs to pay. If you move into a flat where a roommate already pays, you can link to their existing account. Ignoring the letters does not make the obligation go away. Late fees follow.

Church Tax (Kirchensteuer)

The registration form asks about religious affiliation. If you declare membership in a tax-collecting religious community, such as the Catholic or Protestant churches, the office passes that information to the tax authorities, and your employer then deducts church tax from your paycheck alongside regular income tax. The rate is 8 percent of your income tax in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg and 9 percent in all other states. If you do not belong to a tax-collecting community, leave the field blank or mark it accordingly. No church tax applies.

Secondary Residence Tax

If you register a second address in Germany while keeping a principal residence elsewhere, many municipalities levy a secondary residence tax (Zweitwohnungssteuer). The rate varies but is typically calculated as a percentage of annual net rent, and rates of 10 to 20 percent are not uncommon. You must notify the authority whenever your principal residence changes, and you have two weeks to do so.¹

Penalties for Late or Missing Registration

Failing to register on time, registering with incorrect information, or skipping registration entirely are administrative offenses under Section 54 of the BMG, with a maximum fine of €1,000.⁷ In practice, first-time offenders who register as soon as they can get an appointment, and who can show they tried to book within the deadline, are rarely fined. Clerks in busy cities see late registrations constantly and generally care more about you showing up than about the exact date.

Deregistration When You Leave Germany

If you move out and are not moving to another address within Germany, you must deregister. You can do this no earlier than one week before your departure and no later than two weeks after.¹ Many offices allow deregistration by mail, and some municipalities allow it online. You need a valid ID and a completed deregistration form. If someone else is handling it for you, they need a signed power of attorney that includes the names, dates of birth, and signatures of everyone being deregistered.

The office issues a deregistration certificate (Abmeldebescheinigung) once the process is complete. Hold onto it. Health insurers, landlords, and utility providers typically require it as proof that you have left the country before they will close your accounts. Missing the deregistration deadline carries the same maximum fine as late registration: €1,000.⁷

1
Gesetze im Internet. Federal Act on Registration (Bundesmeldegesetz – BMG)
2
Gesetze im Internet. Bundesmeldegesetz BMG 19
3
DAAD. Registering
4
Make it in Germany. Meldebescheinigung
5
Federal Central Tax Office. The Identification Number
6
Rundfunkbeitrag. Welcome!
7
Gesetze im Internet. Bundesmeldegesetz BMG 54 – Bussgeldvorschriften