Anmeldung in Munich and Nuremberg: How to Register Your Address in Germany

Who has to register – and by when

Anyone who moves into a flat in Germany must register with the registration office (Meldebehörde) within two weeks of moving in (Section 17 of the Federal Registration Act, BMG). This also applies to a room in a shared flat and to a sublet. The deadline starts on the day you actually move in.

There are exceptions for short stays (Section 27(2) BMG): if you are already registered at another address in Germany, you do not need to register additionally for a stay of up to six months. If you normally live abroad and are not registered in Germany, the limit is three months. If it is clear from the start that you will stay longer, you must register within two weeks of moving in.

The Anmeldung matters for much more than paperwork: you usually need the registration confirmation to open a bank account, to start a job and for your appointment at the immigration office. Your tax ID is also sent to you after your first registration.

Which documents you need

• ID card or passport. If you are not an EU citizen, also bring your visa or residence permit if you have one.
• Wohnungsgeberbestätigung. The confirmation from your landlord – or, in a sublet, from the main tenant – that you have moved in. They can give it to you on paper or send it electronically to the registration office; in that case they receive a reference code that they pass on to you for your appointment.
• Registration form (Anmeldeformular). Many cities provide it online; often the office fills it in with you at the appointment.

Appointment and procedure in Munich, Nuremberg and Erlangen

In Munich, you register at one of the citizens’ offices (Bürgerbüro) of the Kreisverwaltungsreferat (KVR); in Nuremberg and Erlangen, at the city’s Bürgeramt. Appointments are usually booked online and are in particularly high demand in Munich. Book yours as soon as your move-in date is fixed.

Munich, Nuremberg and Erlangen also offer online registration. However, it only works if you are moving within Germany and the new flat is your main residence. You need a German ID card or an EU eID card with the online ID function activated and your PIN; you upload the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung. If you are moving from abroad or registering a secondary residence, you need an appointment in person.

1. Move-in date fixed: book an appointment or check online registration.
2. Get the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung from your landlord or main tenant.
3. Go to the appointment with your ID and the confirmation – it usually only takes a few minutes.
4. Take the registration confirmation (Meldebestätigung) with you and keep it safe.

What happens after you register

• Registration confirmation (Meldebestätigung): needed for example for your bank account, your employer or the immigration office.
• Tax ID (Steuer-ID): after your first registration in Germany, the Federal Central Tax Office sends your tax identification number to you by post automatically.
• Broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag): the Beitragsservice may contact you. Only one fee is due per flat – in a shared flat, one person pays for everyone.
• Update your address: health insurance, bank, university and employer need your new address.
• Secondary residence: if you are still registered at your parents’ address and register the room as a secondary residence (Nebenwohnung), Munich may charge a second-home tax (Zweitwohnungsteuer). If your income is low, you can apply for an exemption.

If you move to a new flat within Germany, you do not need to deregister at your old address – registering at the new one is enough. You must deregister (Abmeldung) if you move out without moving into a new flat in Germany – for example when you move abroad, or when you give up a room that was registered as a secondary residence (Section 17(2) BMG). Still looking for a room? See our guides for Munich and Nuremberg and Erlangen.

Frequently asked questions