How long do I have to register my new address in Germany?
Two weeks from moving in. Anyone who moves into a home must register with the registration office within two weeks (§ 17 BMG). You need your ID card or passport and the landlord’s confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung), which your landlord must give you within the same period (§ 19 BMG). If you move within Germany, you only register at your new address – you deregister only if you do not move into a new home in Germany, for example when moving abroad. Not registering, or registering late, can cost a fine of up to €1,000.
📋 The rules
- Register within two weeks of moving in
- Bring: ID card or passport and the landlord’s confirmation (or its reference code if it was sent electronically)
- The landlord must confirm the move within the two weeks: name and address of the landlord (and owner), date of moving in, address, names of the people moving in
- Deregister only when you move out without a new home in Germany, within two weeks and at the earliest one week before moving out
- Several homes: the one you mainly use is your main residence; report any change of main residence within two weeks
- Children under 16 are registered by whoever they move in with
🔓 Exceptions
- Up to six months in a further home: no registration needed if you are already registered in Germany; people who otherwise live abroad must register after three months
- Online registration: the law provides for it (§ 23a BMG); ask your registration office whether it offers it
- The electronic registration certificate is free
- If the landlord refuses the confirmation, you must tell the registration office without delay
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Not registering, or registering incorrectly or late, not deregistering in time, or – as a landlord – not confirming the move in time is an administrative offence with a fine of up to €1,000 (§ 54 BMG). Offering or providing an address for a registration although nobody moves in (sham registration) can cost up to €50,000.
📎 Official sources
- § 17 BMG · registration and deregistration (in German) →
- § 19 BMG · landlord’s confirmation (in German) →
- § 21 BMG · several homes (in German) →
- § 23a BMG · online registration (in German) →
- § 27 BMG · exceptions (in German) →
- § 54 BMG · fines (in German) →
❓ Frequently asked
Do I have to deregister at my old address in Germany?
Not if you move within Germany: you only register at the new address. You deregister only when you move out of a home without moving into a new one in Germany – within two weeks of moving out and at the earliest one week before.
What is the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung?
A confirmation from your landlord, or someone the landlord appoints, that you have moved in. It contains the landlord’s name and address (and the owner’s, if different), the date you moved in, the address of the home and the names of the people who must register. The landlord can also send it electronically to the registration office; you then get a reference code.
What happens if I register my new address late?
Not registering, or registering incorrectly or late, is an administrative offence. The fine can be up to €1,000.
What if my landlord does not give me the confirmation?
Tell the registration office without delay. Landlords are legally obliged to cooperate, and a landlord who does not confirm the move, or confirms it late, commits an administrative offence too.
Do I have to register a second home?
Yes, you also register a secondary residence within two weeks and state which home is your main residence. If you are already registered in Germany and stay no more than six months in the further home, you do not need to register or deregister.
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