Registering your address (Anmeldung)

If you move into a new apartment in Germany, you usually have to register your address with the local registration office (Meldebehörde). This registration system is the basis for many administrative processes, including the issuing of identity documents and the use of registration data by public authorities 1.

Who needs this

• You need to register when you move into a new dwelling in Germany 1.
• If you have more than one dwelling in Germany, one of them is your main residence (Hauptwohnung): it is the dwelling you use predominantly 245.
• Registration may not be required in some short-stay situations, for example if you are already registered in Germany and stay in the city for up to six months, or if you live abroad and stay in the city for up to three months 256.

Step by step

1. Check whether you will register online or in person. Berlin, Köln, München, and Stuttgart all offer online registration, and in-person registration is also possible 2456.
2. If you register in person, bring the required documents and, where needed, a power of attorney (Vollmacht) if someone else is filing for you 2456.
3. Submit the registration at the local office or through the online service. In Stuttgart, the online service is handled through the service portal of Baden-Württemberg (service-bw.de) and normally requires a personal service account 6.
4. After registration, you receive a registration confirmation (Meldebestätigung) or digital registration confirmation, depending on the service used 246.

Documents

• Valid identity document: in Berlin and Stuttgart, this can be a passport or identity card; in Köln, it can also be a Nationalpass or residence document depending on nationality and status 246.
• Landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung) or equivalent confirmation of move-in from the landlord or property owner 2456.
• If you live in your own property, some cities allow you to complete the confirmation yourself 456.
• If someone registers for you, bring a written power of attorney and the representative’s own identity document 2456.
• For children without their own identity document, a birth certificate is required in Stuttgart and München 56.
• If you move from abroad with a spouse or registered partner, Köln asks for the marriage or civil partnership certificate; if you move with minor children from abroad, Köln asks for the children’s birth certificates, and foreign documents need a translation by a publicly appointed or sworn translator in Germany 4.

Cost and time

• Berlin says the registration is free of charge 2.
• Köln says the registration is free of charge 4.
• In Köln, the previous municipality’s response for address updates is stated to happen automatically and usually within three working days 4.

Deadlines

• Berlin: register within 14 days after moving in 2.
• Köln: register within 14 days after moving in 4.
• München: register within 14 days 5.
• Stuttgart: register within two weeks after moving in 6.
• Berlin and München note that if you already live in Germany and only stay temporarily in the city for up to six months, or if you are coming from abroad for only up to three months, you may be exempt in some cases 256.

City by city

• Berlin: online registration is not possible with an electronic residence permit (eAT). 2
• Köln: if you move from abroad, you must always register in person. 4
• Berlin: You can register online or at the Bürgeramt. Berlin states a 14-day deadline and requires a landlord confirmation; for online registration, you need a BundID account, activated online ID function (eID), and the AusweisApp 2.
• Köln: You can register online or at any Kundenzentrum. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, an appointment is required; on Mondays and Wednesdays, you can register without an appointment. Köln says the registration is free 4.
• München: Online registration is only available for main residences, not secondary residences. The city also allows a representative with power of attorney, and the registration can be linked with address changes in vehicle documents 5.
• Stuttgart: You can register at one of the 22 Bürgerbüros or online via service-bw.de. Stuttgart says that in-person registration can be combined with other move-related services, such as address updates in identity or vehicle documents 6.