Register your address after moving in Germany (2026)

Registering your address: the key deadline first

Anyone who moves into a new flat in Germany must complete their Anmeldung (residence registration) within 14 days of moving in at the responsible Meldebehörde (registration authority). This is set out in § 17 Abs. 1 Bundesmeldegesetz (BMG). The responsible office is the Bürgeramt or Einwohnermeldeamt of your new place of residence.

What counts is the day you actually move in, not the date on your tenancy agreement and not the day you collect the keys if you move in later. The two-week deadline runs from the moment you take up the flat.

What you need for the Anmeldung

For the Anmeldung at the Bürgeramt you usually need:

• a valid Personalausweis or passport (for everyone being registered),
• the completed registration form (usually available on site or online),
• your landlord's Wohnungsgeberbestätigung.

Spouses and children can often register together in a single appointment. For minor children, bring the birth certificate.

What is the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung?

The Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord's confirmation of move-in, sometimes called Vermieterbescheinigung) is the landlord's written confirmation that you have actually moved into the flat. It has been mandatory since 2015 and is designed to prevent bogus registrations.

Under § 19 BMG the landlord (Wohnungsgeber) is obliged to confirm your move-in in writing or electronically within the two-week registration deadline. The confirmation contains:

• the landlord's name and address,
• the type of event (move-in) with the move-in date,
• the address of the flat,
• the names of the people required to register.

Without this document the Meldebehörde can refuse your Anmeldung. So request the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung early from your landlord or property manager, ideally as early as the key handover.

Important: A late or missed Anmeldung is an Ordnungswidrigkeit (administrative offence) and can be fined up to 1,000 euros under § 54 BMG. If you miss the 14-day deadline, complete the Anmeldung as soon as possible regardless.

Anmeldung, Ummeldung, Abmeldung: what is the difference?

Action	When	Deadline	Legal basis
Anmeldung (registration)	Moving into a flat in Germany (including your first)	14 days after move-in	§ 17 Abs. 1 BMG
Ummeldung (re-registration)	Moving within Germany	14 days after move-in, register at the new address	§ 17 Abs. 1 BMG
Abmeldung (deregistration)	Moving abroad with no new flat in Germany	14 days after move-out	§ 17 Abs. 2 BMG

When you move within Germany, you simply register at the new address. There is no separate deregistration of the old flat, the new Meldebehörde handles that automatically.

An Abmeldung is only needed if you move abroad and keep no flat in Germany. It is possible at the earliest one week before you move out (§ 17 Abs. 2 BMG).

Common mistakes

• Going by the tenancy agreement instead of the move-in. The deadline runs from the actual move-in, not from the start of the contract.
• Requesting the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung too late. Without the document the appointment fails. Ask early.
• Booking the appointment too late. In many cities Bürgeramt appointments are booked out for weeks. Importantly, if you book the appointment within the deadline, the deadline is usually treated as met even if the appointment itself falls later.
• Doing nothing when moving within the same town. You still have to register at the new address.
• Forgetting the Abmeldung when moving abroad. Without it, your tax and registration records keep running, which causes problems later.

With HausMaus it's simpler

HausMaus is free for tenants and includes an Anmeldung helper and a moving checklist. The app keeps the 14-day Bundesmeldegesetz deadline in view and reminds you about the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung you need from your landlord under § 19 BMG. That way you forget neither the Bürgeramt appointment nor a document, and you avoid a fine under § 54 BMG.