Leaving Germany

At a glance

Start earliest

Rental notice — usually the longest lead time

At the move

Deregister the address (§ 17 BMG)

Needs the certificate

Broadcasting fee, insurance, some contracts

Close last

Bank account, after final debits and refunds

Keep forever

Pension number, tax assessments, deregistration certificate

Who this applies to

• You are moving out of Germany and giving up your home here.
• You want to avoid charges and open obligations continuing after you leave.
• You may return one day and want your records intact.

In what order

1. Now

   Give notice on the rental contract

   Notice periods are contractual and often the longest item on the list. Send the termination in writing within the period, agree the handover date and arrange the final inspection so the deposit is not held up.

2. Now

   Check what leaving means for a residence permit

   If you hold a residence title, ask the immigration office how the departure affects it, especially if the move might be temporary. Deregistration signals a permanent departure.

3. Now

   Set up a forwarding address and postal redirection

   Final bills, tax assessments and insurance letters arrive after you go, and deadlines run from delivery. Give a German address you trust, or arrange international forwarding.

4. Next

   Deregister your address

   Deregister around the move-out date, normally within two weeks. Keep the deregistration certificate — most of the remaining cancellations rely on it.

5. Next

   Cancel utilities, internet and mobile

   Each has its own notice period and many ask for proof of moving abroad. Take meter readings on handover day and photograph them.

6. Next

   End health insurance and the broadcasting contribution

   Send the deregistration certificate to both, with the correct end date. The broadcasting contribution runs until the home is deregistered, not until you stop living there.

7. Later

   Settle the tax year

   File a final return if one is required for your last German year, and note that a partial year often produces a refund. Give the tax office an address that will still reach you.

8. Later

   Secure your pension and employment records

   Keep your pension insurance number, contribution statements, employment references and payslips. Contributions remain on record, and future claims are far easier with the paperwork in hand.

9. Later

   Close the bank account last

   Wait until the deposit refund, the final utility bills and any tax refund have cleared. Closing early makes every remaining transfer harder.

Documents you need

• Written rental termination and handover protocol
• Deregistration certificate (Abmeldebescheinigung)
• Final meter readings and utility closing statements
• Health insurance cancellation confirmation
• Broadcasting contribution deregistration confirmation
• Pension insurance number and contribution statement
• Employment references and final payslips
• Tax assessments and the final tax return

Common mistakes

• Closing the bank account before the deposit and tax refunds arrive.
• Leaving without deregistering and continuing to owe the broadcasting contribution.
• Forgetting a forwarding address, so an assessment deadline passes unseen.
• Discarding pension and employment records because they feel finished.

What happens next

• Your obligations end on documented dates rather than open-ended ones.
• Refunds and final bills reach you through the forwarding address.
• Your German records stay usable if you return or claim a pension later.

Related questions

Can I deregister after leaving?

Many municipalities accept written or online deregistration from abroad with the actual move-out date. Contact your former registration office.

Do I lose my pension contributions?

No. Contributions stay on your record. What you can claim, and when, depends on the agreements between Germany and your destination country.

What if I might come back within a year?

Speak to the immigration office before deregistering, and ask about prior approval for a longer absence if you hold a residence title.

Related guides

• After Anmeldung

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

• Anmeldung documents

  The precise document checklist for registration: mandatory papers, family and children cases, representatives, and local variation.

• Anmeldung in Berlin

  Register your Berlin address: appointment, landlord confirmation, documents and what the Meldebestätigung unlocks.

Related answers

• Deregistering when leaving

  Required when moving abroad. The certificate is what stops ongoing charges and proves your leaving date.

• Ending a rental contract

  Three months in writing for tenants, counted from the third working day of the month.

• Broadcasting fee exemption

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

Related compare

• Anmeldung vs residence permit

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

• Public vs private insurance

  Income-based and family-friendly versus risk-priced and individual — and why the switch back is hard.