What is the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, and who has to provide it?

Who this guide is for

• Tenants who need to know exactly what to ask their landlord for before registering.
• People subletting a room who are unsure whether the main tenant or the landlord signs.
• Anyone whose landlord is slow, unresponsive, or unwilling to provide the confirmation.

What you need

• A landlord, owner, or main tenant willing to confirm the move-in in writing.
• The exact move-in date, since the confirmation and the two-week registration deadline both depend on it.
• Names of every person moving into the home, to be listed on the confirmation.
• A copy of the confirmation for your own records before you hand in the original.

Step-by-step process

1. 01

   Understand who is legally the Wohnungsgeber

   The Wohnungsgeber is whoever actually provides the accommodation: usually the landlord or owner, but in a sublet it is the main tenant who let you the room, not the building's owner. Whoever grants you access to the home is the person the law obliges to confirm the move-in.

2. 02

   Ask for the confirmation in writing, early

   Under § 19 BMG, the person providing the accommodation must confirm the move-in in writing and is obliged to cooperate so you can meet the registration deadline. Ask for it when you sign the contract or receive the keys, not once you are already at the registration office without it.

3. 03

   Check every required field before signing

   The confirmation must name the landlord (and the owner, if different), the exact address including floor or unit if relevant, the date of moving in, and the name of every person moving in. A confirmation missing the move-in date or a signature is the most common reason offices send people away.

4. 04

   Keep a copy for yourself

   You typically hand the confirmation to the registration office, so photograph or scan it before handing over the original. If a later step in the German administrative chain questions your address history, this copy is your evidence.

5. 05

   Use it promptly for registration

   The confirmation supports your registration within the same two-week window that applies to Anmeldung generally. There is no separate expiry date defined for the confirmation itself, but registering soon after receiving it avoids any question about whether the details are still current.

Documents checklist

• Wohnungsgeberbestätigung signed by the landlord, owner, or main tenant
• Rental contract, as supporting evidence of the tenancy
• Your own copy or scan of the signed confirmation
• Passport or ID for every person named on the confirmation
• Correspondence with the landlord, if the confirmation was delayed

Common mistakes

• Assuming the rental contract can substitute for the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung — it cannot.
• Not asking for the confirmation until the day of the registration appointment.
• Letting the building owner sign when the actual Wohnungsgeber is a subletting main tenant.
• Accepting a confirmation with a blank move-in date to save time.
• Failing to keep a personal copy before submitting the original.
• Not raising a refused or delayed confirmation with the registration office before the deadline passes.

What happens next

• With the signed confirmation in hand, you can complete your address registration.
• See the full document checklist for everything else the registration office expects alongside it.
• Keep the confirmation on file — later checks or renewed permits sometimes reference your registration history.
• If your landlord changes or you move again, a new confirmation is needed for the new address.

How Burokrat helps

Frequently asked questions

Is the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung the same as a rental contract?

No. The rental contract sets out the tenancy terms; the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung is a separate, short statement confirming the move-in date and who moved in, required specifically for registration.

Who signs the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung if I rent from a property management company?

The company acting as landlord or its authorised representative signs it. Ask them directly for the confirmation rather than assuming the contract covers it.

Can a friend confirm my move-in if I'm staying with them for free?

Yes — if they are the person providing you accommodation, whether paid or not, they are the Wohnungsgeber and can issue the confirmation.

What if my landlord charges a fee for issuing the confirmation?

The obligation to confirm the move-in under § 19 BMG is not tied to payment. If you are asked to pay for a document you are legally entitled to receive, raise this with the registration office.

Does the confirmation need to be notarised?

No, a signed written confirmation is what the law requires; notarisation is not part of the standard process.

What happens if I lose the signed confirmation before my appointment?

Ask the landlord for a duplicate. Since they are obliged to confirm the move-in, a reissued copy with the same details should be acceptable.

Official sources

• Bundesmeldegesetz § 19 (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung), full text
• Bundesportal: landlord move-in confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)

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