How To Register An Apartment In Germany [2022-Guide]

What is an Anmeldung?

The Anmeldung, also known as the City Registration process, is a way for the German government to keep track of who is living in the country and ensure that everyone has the proper documentation to live in Germany.

Anmeldung is the process of registering your address (or "Wohnsitz") in Germany. You need to register within 14 days of moving into a new place, or you could face fines. Anmeldung is also necessary to open a bank account and get a tax ID (Steuer ID) number (Steueridentifikationsnummer).

Registering an Apartment in Germany

Head to the Einwohnermeldeamt or Bürgeramt citizens office (resident registration office) in your city and fill out a registration form(Meldeschein). You will also need to provide some supporting documentation, which we will discuss below.

Once you have registered, you will need to visit the Einwohnermeldeamt periodically to update your registration information. For example, if you move apartments or get married, you will need to update your Anmeldung with this information.

Important Documents required (Wichtigste Dokumente)

To begin, you will need to gather the following documents

1. Passport or other photo ID
2. A lease or Rental contract, and
3. Anmeldebestätigung (registration confirmation).

Passport or other photo ID: You will need to provide at least one of the following documents as proof of identification:

- An international passport or national ID card.

- An immigration visa (Aufenthaltserlaubnis).

Rental Agreement(Mietvertrag): You must provide a copy of your rental agreement or lease (Mietvertrag), which you and your landlord must sign. If you do not have a written lease, you can still register your apartment. However, it is recommended that you get a written agreement to avoid any potential disputes with your landlord.

Move-in Confirmation/Anmeldebestätigung: You will need to provide a registration confirmation (Anmeldebestätigung) from your place of residence in Germany. If you have just arrived in Germany, you can Anmeldung your place of residence at the local Einwohnermeldeamt or Bürgeramt.

The Anmeldung should generally be completed and delivered on the same day, and you will receive your Tax ID (Steuer ID) by post after a few weeks. After signing up for your apartment, you can expect the Radio taxes (Rundfunkbeitrag) registration document to arrive in the mail quickly.

Re-registering an Apartment (Ummeldung)

If you have recently moved to a new apartment in Germany, you will need to re-register your address with the local authorities. This can be done by filling out a registration form at your local Einwohnermeldeamt or Bürgeramt and providing supporting documentation, as outlined in the previous section.

In addition to the documents required for Anmeldung, you will also need to provide a moving out confirmation (Abreisebestätigung) from your last place in Germany.

The Ummeldung should be completed within 14 days of moving into your new apartment, and you will need to provide proof of your new address in Germany (e.g., utility bill, lease agreement) when you register. After the Ummeldung is completed, you will receive a unique registration document (Anmeldebestätigung) for your new apartment.

De-registering an Apartment (Abmeldung)

Suppose you have recently moved out of your apartment in Germany. In that case, you will need to deregister your address with the local authorities by filling out a deregistration form at your local Einwohnermeldeamt or Bürgeramt.

The purpose of deregistering an apartment is to officially end your registration with the local authorities at your previous place of residence. If you do not deregister an apartment, you may be held liable for any taxes (health insurance) and other expenses associated with the property.

Registering an apartment in Germany can be a complicated process, but you should be able to get through it without any problems with this guide. Make sure to have all of your documents ready and follow the instructions carefully.

If you would like to know about the rental laws in Germany and information about other topics related to living in Germany, check out our blog for more articles like this one!

We hope this guide has been helpful.