How to Register Your Address in Germany (Anmeldung)

The lease is signed and the keys are in hand, but the bank, the phone company, and the health insurer all want a document the landlord never mentioned. Nothing in Germany runs without the address registration (Anmeldung): no tax ID, no account, no insurance card. The deadline is 14 days from moving in, and the appointment is often the hardest part.

Get the landlord confirmation first

A rental contract does not count. The landlord or property manager must sign a move-in confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung) that names the landlord, the owner if different, the move-in date, the address, and everyone moving in. Berlin publishes the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung form on berlin.de and Munich has its own Wohnungsgeberbestätigung form. Berlin's rules oblige the landlord to hand it over within two weeks of the move, so ask for it when you collect the keys.

Book a Bürgeramt appointment or register online

Registration is free and due within 14 days of moving in, as of September 2026, according to Berlin's address registration page and Munich's Wohnsitzanmeldung page. Both require an appointment for an in-person visit, and slots in large cities disappear quickly, so book early. Both also offer online registration for a main residence to anyone holding a German electronic ID card with the online function activated, which skips the appointment.

Fill in the registration form and bring your documents

Berlin lists three things: the completed registration form (Anmeldung bei der Meldebehörde), a valid passport or ID card for every person registering, and the landlord confirmation. Munich asks for the same ID and landlord confirmation and lets a representative attend with a power of attorney and the original IDs.

Keep the registration certificate and order extra copies

Once the documents are checked, Berlin issues the registration confirmation on the spot. It shows your registered address and is the paper banks, employers, and insurers ask for. Additional certificates come from Berlin's Meldebescheinigung page: free online, 10 euros per person in person or by mail, as of September 2026. Order a spare or two before the first request arrives.

Wait for the tax ID in the mail

There is no application for the tax ID (steuerliche Identifikationsnummer). The registration office sends your data to the Federal Central Tax Office, which assigns the eleven-digit number and mails it to the registered address, as described on the BZSt tax ID page. Put your surname on the mailbox; the BZSt says delivery fails without it. The number is valid for life and is never given out by phone.

If you cannot get an appointment. Berlin's registration page lists every Bürgeramt that offers the service, so check locations across the whole city, and use the online route if you hold an eID card. Munich's page says to register as soon as possible, which is also the answer for anyone past the 14 days: go anyway.

If the tax ID does not arrive. The BZSt FAQ says that after three months without a letter you can send the BZSt a copy of your ID and your registration confirmation, and it will check with the registration office and send the number.

Sources. Berlin Wohnsitz anmelden, Berlin Wohnungsgeberbestätigung form, Berlin registration form, Berlin Meldebescheinigung, Munich Wohnsitzanmeldung, Munich Wohnungsgeberbestätigung form, BZSt tax ID page, BZSt FAQ.