Change of main residence

As a person subject to registration, you must notify the registration authority of any change in your main residence within two weeks.

If you have several apartments in Germany and the status of your apartment has changed (main residence is now used as a secondary residence or secondary residence is now used as a main residence without moving into or moving out of a new or previous dwelling), then you are obliged to inform the competent registration authority.

Main residence is:

• If you are married or in a civil partnership: the main used home of the family or civil partnership. This also applies if you only temporarily live apart from your family or partner.
• If you are married or in a civil partnership and permanently separated: your predominantly used apartment.
• If you are a minor: the main home used by your parents or foster parents. If they live separately, the main residence is the apartment in which you mainly live.
• Only if the predominantly used dwelling cannot be determined beyond doubt is the focus of the life relationships to be taken into account. Indications for this are, for example, the type of apartment, personal ties, social and municipal political activities as well as membership in clubs and other organizations.

At the same time, you are obliged to inform the registration authority which other apartments (secondary residences) you have in Germany in addition to your main residence.

Secondary residence is any further apartment in the country. You can thus have one main residence and several secondary residences.

The registration authority is responsible for the new main residence

Please bring an identity document (for example identity card or passport as proof of identity and to change the apartment details).

Some registration authorities offer forms on the Internet.

• Online procedure possible: basically no
• Written form required: possible
• Personal appearance necessary: basically yes

If the registration authority of your place of residence has opened Internet access for registration matters, you can transmit the required information using a qualified electronic signature in accordance with the Signature Act on this access.

They have several apartments inland.

Your previous main residence will be used by you as a secondary residence or your previous secondary residence as your main residence.

Personal appearance at the competent registration authority is mandatory.

You are obliged to notify the competent registration authority of the change of status of your apartment within two weeks.

The period begins on the day on which a change of the previous apartment has taken place.

none (the change of status is entered directly in the population register at the registration authority)

none