ManaWGOpen the appAnmeldung in a flat share in Germany: landlord’s confirmation of move-in and deadline
If you move into a flat-share room in Germany, you have to register your address at the local citizens’ office (Bürgeramt). This is called the Anmeldung, and it needs a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord’s confirmation of move-in). Who issues it depends on your tenancy, and with subletting in particular, many main tenants do not know they are responsible. This page summarises the rules of the Bundesmeldegesetz (BMG, the Federal Registration Act) for people moving to Germany and is not legal advice. Details such as forms and appointments are set by your city.
By Abubakar Abditube (ManaWG) · Published · Updated
Deadline: two weeks after moving in
Anyone who moves into a flat has to register with the registration authority (Meldebehörde), usually the Bürgeramt, within two weeks of moving in. That includes a room in a flat share. Appointments are scarce in big cities, so book before the move; the deadline runs regardless. Many cities now also offer the registration online with an electronic ID card. If you are new to Germany, the registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) matters beyond the law itself: banks, employers and authorities regularly ask for it, and the residence permit and your tax ID depend on it.
Who issues the landlord’s confirmation of move-in?
The Wohnungsgeber (the person who provides the housing) is whoever lets you the flat. If you have your own contract with the landlord or you are named in a joint main tenancy, that is the landlord or the property management. With subletting, the Hauptmieter (main tenant) is the Wohnungsgeber and has to issue the confirmation personally. They must confirm your move-in within the two weeks. If they refuse or the confirmation does not arrive in time, you tell the registration authority without delay.
If the main tenant refuses the confirmation
Under § 19 BMG, the Wohnungsgeber is obliged to cooperate in the registration. If they refuse or the confirmation does not arrive in time, you have to tell the registration authority without delay (§ 19 para. 2 BMG). A Wohnungsgeber who does not confirm a move-in, or confirms it incorrectly or late commits an administrative offence (Ordnungswidrigkeit) that can be fined up to €1,000 (§ 54 BMG). What to do: ask the main tenant in writing for the confirmation, so you can prove it. Set a short deadline that ends before the two weeks are up. If nothing comes, inform the registration authority and ask how to continue.
Model: what the confirmation contains
The confirmation contains the name and address of the Wohnungsgeber, the owner’s name if different, the move-in date, the address of the flat and the names of the people who must register (§ 19 para. 3 BMG). The table shows an example with invented details. Many cities have their own forms; the details are the same. The forms are usually in German, but the fields are few and the table below shows what each one means.
Example of a landlord’s confirmation of move-in (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Name and address of the Wohnungsgeber (landlord or main tenant) | Erika Beispiel, Musterweg 1, 12345 Musterstadt |
| Name of the owner, if different | Max Muster |
| Move-in date | 1 November 2026 |
| Address of the flat | Musterweg 1, 2nd floor left, 12345 Musterstadt |
| Names of the people who must register | Jonas Probe |
Invented details for illustration. The form of your city is the one that counts.
Electronic confirmation
The Wohnungsgeber can also confirm the move-in electronically to the registration authority (§ 19 para. 1 BMG). They then receive an assignment code (Zuordnungsmerkmal) that they pass on to the person registering, who quotes it at the Anmeldung (§ 19 para. 4 BMG). Ask your registration authority whether it offers this route.
What to bring to the appointment
Your ID card or passport, the landlord’s confirmation of move-in and the completed registration form, if your city requires one. If you are moving from abroad, you may need further documents depending on where you come from, such as a residence permit. The registration itself is usually free. Berlin’s official welcome guide also advises being wary of anyone selling appointments or certificates: they are not official.
Main residence or second residence
If you are still registered at your parents’ home, you have to state which residence is your main residence (Hauptwohnung). That is the one you mainly use, which for students is usually the flat share in the town where they study. Many cities charge a second-home tax (Zweitwohnungsteuer) on a secondary residence. Check that before you register the flat share as a secondary residence.
When you do not need to register
If you are already registered in Germany and stay for six months at most, you need neither to register nor to deregister for the new flat, for example during a sublet for an internship. If you stay longer, you register within two weeks after the six months are up. If you otherwise live abroad, you have to register after only three months.
Moving out: deregistering only in two cases
If you move within Germany, you register at your new address and the old one is deregistered automatically. You only have to deregister if you move abroad or give up a secondary residence without taking a new one. You can deregister no earlier than one week before moving out and must do so within two weeks after. What else is on the list when you leave is in the moving-out checklist.
Fines
Anyone who does not register, or registers late, commits an administrative offence that can be fined up to €1,000. The same applies to a Wohnungsgeber who does not issue the confirmation or issues it incorrectly. A confirmation as a favour for someone who is not actually moving in can cost up to €50,000.
After the Anmeldung
With the registration certificate you can switch your bank account, Rundfunkbeitrag (broadcasting fee) and contracts to the new address. A flat share pays the Rundfunkbeitrag only once; how to split it is covered in the guide to the Rundfunkbeitrag in a flat share. If it is your first registration in Germany, your tax ID (Steuer-ID) is sent by post, so make sure your name is on the letterbox. What else matters in the first days is summarised in the moving-in checklist.
Frequently asked questions
What if the main tenant does not sign?
Ask for the confirmation in writing and set a short deadline. If it does not arrive in time, tell the registration authority without delay.
What happens if I register late?
It is an administrative offence. The fine can be up to €1,000, and the authority sets the amount in each case.
Sources (as of 29 October 2026)
- § 17 BMG, registration and deregistration (in German)
- § 19 BMG, landlord’s confirmation of move-in (in German)
- § 21 BMG, main and secondary residence (in German)
- § 27 BMG, exemptions from the duty to register (in German)
- § 54 BMG, fines (in German)
- Federal Registration Act (BMG), English translation (for information, only the German text is binding)
- Anmeldung (residence registration), Berlin Welcome Centre
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