Do I need to tell the authorities when I change address in Germany?

At a glance

Deadline

Two weeks after moving in (§ 17 BMG)

Where

The registration office of the new municipality

Old address

No separate deregistration needed within Germany

Needed

Landlord confirmation for the new home, ID, registration form

Not automatic

Banks, insurers, employer, private contracts

What updates on its own

• The registration register itself, including the old municipality.
• The broadcasting fee service, which receives changes from the registers.
• The tax authorities, for your registered address on record.
• Where relevant, the immigration office, though it is safer to confirm this yourself.

What you have to update yourself

• Your employer and payroll, so payslips and tax details stay correct.
• Bank, insurers and any provider with a direct debit.
• Your vehicle registration, if you own a car.
• Your driving licence address, where your state requires it.
• Schools, childcare and the family benefits office if you have children.
• Doctors, pharmacies and anyone who sends you medical post.

Two things worth doing the same week

Set up a postal forwarding order so letters sent to the old address reach you. Official deadlines run from when a letter is delivered to your registered address, not from when you read it.

If you hold a residence permit, check whether your new address falls under a different immigration office. Responsibility can change when you move between cities or states.

Common mistakes

• Only telling the landlord and the employer, not the registration office.
• Assuming the immigration office automatically knows the new address.
• Forgetting the vehicle registration, which is a separate process.

What happens next

• You receive an updated registration certificate for the new address.
• Any address-linked permits or benefits continue with the new address on record.
• Post redirected from the old address stops after the forwarding period, so finish the updates within it.

Related questions

Do I need to deregister when moving within Germany?

No. Registering the new address closes the old one. Deregistration is for moving abroad or giving up a German home entirely.

What about a second home?

If you keep two homes in Germany you register both and declare which is your main residence. Some cities levy a second-home tax.

Does a new address change my broadcasting fee?

The fee is per home. If you move into a home where the fee is already paid, ask the service to merge the accounts so you are not charged twice.

Related guides

• Delayed Application

  How to follow up in writing, protect your legal position near expiry, and know when to seek legal advice.

• Renewal

  When to start, which documents to update, and how to protect yourself if the renewal is not decided before expiry.

• After Anmeldung

  The practical sequence of tasks in the weeks after registering an address: certificate, tax ID, bank, insurance, employer, and the broadcasting fee.

Related answers

• Broadcasting fee exemption

  Exemption follows listed benefits or a disability mark — sharing a paid household is the more common fix.

• Re-registering after a move

  Register the new address within two weeks; the new registration replaces the old one.

• Registering a car

  Insurance confirmation number, vehicle documents, valid inspection and a tax direct debit.

Related situations

• Moving to another German city

  One deadline, then the updates no authority does for you.

• Permit expiring soon

  File before the expiry date, appointment or not. How to cover the gap until the decision.

Related compare

• Anmeldung vs residence permit

  One records your address, the other authorises your stay. Different offices, different documents.