10/02/2021 The Anmeldung - How to register an address in Berlin - All About Berlin

The Anmeldung - How to register an

address in Berlin
Home ▸ Guides ▸ Living in Berlin Updated on January 03, 2021

After you moved to Berlin and found a place to live, you must register your
address. This is called the Anmeldung.

When you do your Anmeldung, you receive a registration certi cate

(Anmeldebestätigung or Meldebescheinigung) and a tax ID (Steuer-ID). You need the
registration certi cate to open a bank account, get a cellphone contract, get an
internet contract, etc. Your employer needs your tax ID as soon as possible to
calculate your income tax.

Coronavirus update: Can you do your Anmeldung in Berlin during Coronavirus?

If you already registered at this address but lost your Anmeldebestätigung, you can
request a new one from the Bürgeramt.

Step 1: Get a Bürgeramt appointment

Get an appointment for Anmeldung einer Wohnung. You can get an appointment at
any Bürgeramt in Berlin, not just the one near you. Your appointment must be after
you move in. You can't do your Anmeldung before you move in.

Do not go to the Bürgeramt without an appointment. This is not possible

anymore.

There are 2 ways to get an appointment at the Bürgeramt:

1. Dial 115 and ask for an appointment. The Bürgertelefon helps Berliners nd
appointments.
2. Book an appointment online. If you don't speak German, this is easier.

Related guide: how to get a Bürgeramt appointment in Berlin

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When you book an appointment, you receive an appointment number

(Vorgangsnummer). Don't lose that number! If you lose it, you can call 115 to get it
back. They can also nd your appointment number at the reception.

Step 2: Gather the required documents

Before you visit the Bürgeramt, you must have the following documents:

The Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (Vermieterbescheinigung or Einzugsbestätigung

des Wohnungsgebers). You can't complete the Anmeldung without this document.
Only the person who gives you the apartment (the Wohnungsgeber) can sign this
document. The landlord can sign this letter. If you are renting a room or a
sublet, the main tenant (Hauptmieter) can also sign the letter, with the
permission of the landlord. You must have a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung. A rent
contract is not enough, but it's sometimes accepted by the Bürgeramt.
The lled Anmeldung form. You can nd an English translation here.
Appmeldung, sorted.berlin and Amty can also help you ll this form.
A valid ID document, like your passport. Bring your original passport, not a
photocopy.
Your vehicle papers. If you have a vehicle registered at your old address, bring
your Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil 1. They will put a sticker with your new address
on your vehicle papers. This will cost you 10.80€.

Registering your address is free, but updating your vehicle papers costs 10.80€
per vehicle.

Step 3: Go to your Bürgeramt appointment

Go to the Bürgeramt on the date of the appointment. Bring the documents listed
above.

Bring a German-speaking friend if you can. Some of the employees speak English,
but not all of them. If you don't have any German-speaking friends, you can hire a
relocation consultant or a translator to help you. I recommend Red Tape
Translation.

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When you go to the Bürgeramt, go in the waiting room, and wait until your
appointment number is called (you received that number when you booked your
appointment). You will sit at a clerk's desk, give your documents and receive your
Anmeldebestätigung. You will also get a sticker with your new address on your
Zulassungsbescheinigung. The Anmeldung takes around 10 minutes.

The employee will give you the Anmeldebestätigung during your appointment. A few
days later, you will receive your tax ID by mail. You can get your tax ID faster by
going to the Finanzamt.

Do I need to register my address?

Yes. If you say at an address for more than 6 months, you must register that
address. It's the law.

When you do your Anmeldung, you receive a registration certi cate

(Anmeldebestätigung or Meldebescheinigung) and a tax ID (Steuer-ID). You need the
certi cate of registration to open a bank account, get a cellphone contract, get an
internet contract, etc. Your employer needs your tax ID as soon as possible to
calculate your income tax. Your health insurer also needs your registration
certi cate and tax ID as soon as possible.

Do I need to register within 14 days?

You should register within 14 days of your move-in date, but this rule is not
enforced in Berlin. It's hard to get an appointment in only 14 days. If you take a
few weeks to register, you will not get ned. Just register as soon as you can.

Do I need to deregister my old address?

No, you only need to register your new address. Your old address will be
deregistered automatically. You only need to do deregister (Abmeldung) if you leave
Germany.

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Related guide: The Abmeldung - How to deregister in Berlin

Can someone do the Anmeldung for me?

Yes. If you don't have time go to the Bürgeramt, someone else can go for you. You
must give them a signed power of attorney letter (Vollmacht). Use this power of
attorney template. The signatures on your passport, on the Anmeldung form and
on the Vollmacht must look the same. They must bring show your original
passport, not a photocopy.

If this is your rst Anmeldung in Berlin, you must do it in person. They often refuse
to let someone else do your Anmeldung, even with a power of attorney letter.

There are also services that do the Anmeldung for you. Red Tape Translation and
c/o Germany can go to the Bürgeramt and register the address for you. If you don't
speak German, or you don't have time to go to the Bürgeramt, this is a good
solution.

Can the landlord refuse to let me register?

No. The landlord can't refuse to let you register. Registering your address is a right.
There are two reasons why people don't want to let you register your address:

The landlord doesn't know that you live there

The tenant sublets the apartment without the landlord's permission. This is not
legal. If the landlord nds out, they can end the lease, and kick you out. You will
have 3 months to move out. The main tenant will also have to move out. There
are some exceptions:
The landlord can't refuse to let the tenant sublet a room, unless the
apartment is too small. You still need to ask for permission. The landlord can
charge more rent when you sublet an apartment.
The landlord can refuse to let the tenant sublet the entire apartment.
The landlord doesn't want to let you register there
This is illegal. The landlord must let you register your address. If you tell the
Bürgeramt, they will force the landlord to let you register.

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Can I do my Anmeldung if my name is not on the

mailbox?

Yes, but you must add "c/o" to your address when you register. If you don't do this,
you won't receive mail from the government, and you won't receive your tax ID.

If your name is not on the lease, landlords sometimes refuse to put your name on
the mailbox. When your name is not on the mailbox, you must write your address
like this everywhere:

[name of person on the mailbox]

c/o [your name]
Musterstraße 123
10115 Berlin

Some people say that it's not possible to register with "c/o" anymore, but many of
our readers did it in 2020. I con rm that it is possible.

Related guide: How to address a letter in Germany

Can I do my Anmeldung at a hotel or AirBnB?

Generally, no. Most hotels, hostels and AirBnBs won't let you register your address
there. They are not forced to let you register, unless they let you stay for more than
6 months.

Can I do my Anmeldung later?

Yes. After you move in, you have 14 days to register, but many people take longer.
You will not get a ne, even if you wait a few weeks to register. Just register as soon
as possible.

Can I do my Anmeldung by post or email?

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We don't know if this is still possible in 2021. In Berlin, you could do your
Anmeldung by post or email until December 31, 2020. On January 1, the Bürgeramt
removed this information from their website. Normally, you must do the
Anmeldung in person.

If you never registered in Berlin before, you can't do your Anmeldung by post or
email. You can only register by post or email if you move between two addresses
in Berlin.

You must mail or email your documents to the Bürgeramt in your new district. For
example, if you move to Pankow, you must send your documents to the Pankow
Bürgeramt. Use the list of Bürgeramt locations to nd the correct contact
information. The Bürgeramt can take a few days or a few weeks to reply.

Related guide: Can you do your Anmeldung during Coronavirus?

Can I get a job without my Anmeldung?

Yes. When you do your Anmeldung, you get a tax ID. Your employer needs your tax
ID to calculate your income tax. If you don't have a tax ID, your employer will take
more income tax from your salary. You will only get that money back when you le
a tax declaration. Many employers do not know this. They think you can't start
working without a tax ID.

Do I need to speak German to do my Anmeldung?

Probably. Some Bürgeramt employees speak English, but many don't. The
Anmeldung is very simple, but if you can, bring a German speaker with you.

If you need a translator, Red Tape Translation and c/o Germany can go to the
Bürgeramt with you. If this is your rst Anmeldung and you don't speak German,
this is a good solution.

Do I have to pay church tax?

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It depends. When you register for the rst time, they ask you what your religion is.
Depending on your answer, you might have to pay an extra tax: the church tax.
This tax is 8% or 9% of your income tax, and it's taken directly from your
paycheque. A single person earning 50 000€ a year would pay 800 to 900€ per year
in church tax.

If you were baptised in your home country, they might collect church tax even if
you registered as an atheist. Watch your paycheques for unexpected church tax
payments, just in case.

Settle in Berlin wrote a guide on how to stop paying church tax.

How much does the Anmeldung cost?

Registering your address is free, but updating your vehicle papers costs 10.80€
per vehicle.

How can I do the Ummeldung?

The Ummeldung and the Anmeldung are the same thing. "Anmeldung" means
"address registration" in general. "Ummeldung" means "address change".

What's next?

After you have found an apartment, moved in and registered your address, here is
what you should do:

Do your address change. It's not automatic.

If you just moved to Germany, get health insurance and a bank account.
Get liability insurance. It's not mandatory, but it is a really good idea.
If you have a dog, you must change its address at the Finanzamt, and at the
Ordnungsamt.

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