RaayaAnmeldung: registering your address in Germany
- Built-in template
- Last reviewed: 2026-10
When you move into a flat in Germany you must register the address with the local registration office (Bürgeramt or Einwohnermeldeamt). You need the registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) for many other steps, such as your tax ID, a bank account or a residence permit.
Start this journey in RaayaSteps
Check your deadline
Register within two weeks of moving in. Write the date down the day you get your keys.
Get the landlord confirmation
Your landlord (or the person who gives you the flat) must confirm that you moved in: the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung. Ask for it when you sign or move in.
Book an appointment
Most cities need an appointment at the Bürgeramt; some offer online registration with the eID function of a German ID card. Check your city's service portal.
Go to the appointment
Bring the documents below for every person you register. You receive the Meldebescheinigung, usually on the spot.
Wait for your tax ID
After your first registration in Germany, the Federal Central Tax Office sends your Steuer-ID by post, usually within a few weeks.
Documents you'll need
- Passport or national ID card for each person
- Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord confirmation)
- Registration form (Anmeldeformular), if your city asks for it
- Marriage or birth certificates, if you register family members
Deadlines (Fristen)
- Within two weeks of moving in.
- Late registration can lead to a fine; if you are late, register anyway as soon as you can.
Questions and answers
Does the Anmeldung cost anything?
Registering is usually free. Check your city's service page for any costs, for example for extra certificates.
What if I can't get an appointment within two weeks?
Book the earliest slot you can and keep proof of your booking. Many cities are busy; some release new slots daily or offer walk-in times.
Do I also need to register when I move within Germany?
Yes, that is the Ummeldung: you register the new address within two weeks, at the office of your new city. See Ummeldung.
Start from a template
Official sources
Related guides
- Ummeldung: moving within GermanyMoving within Germany? Register your new address within two weeks (Ummeldung), then update your car, bank, insurer and Rundfunkbeitrag. Checklist.
- EU Blue Card renewal in GermanyRenewing or changing your EU Blue Card in Germany: apply before it expires, documents the Ausländerbehörde asks for, and what a Fiktionsbescheinigung is.
- Kindergeld: applying for child benefitApply for Kindergeld at the Familienkasse: who can get it, the tax IDs you need, the six-month back-payment limit and what to do with their letters.
- Elterngeld: parental allowance in GermanyElterngeld in Germany: when to apply (back pay is only three months), which documents you need, how to plan the months and where to apply.
General information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules and fees change; confirm with the official source or get advice for your case before you act.