Confirmation of residence; submission

If you move into a new home, you will need confirmation from your landlord that you have moved in. You must present this to the registration office each time you register.

The landlord is obliged to cooperate in the registration of an apartment. Section 19 of the Federal Registration Act stipulates that the landlord or a person authorized by the landlord must issue the person obliged to register with a confirmation of moving in for submission to the registration authority:

The landlord is the person who provides the dwelling (within the meaning of the Federal Registration Act; any enclosed space used for living or sleeping). Landlords or their representatives, e.g. housing management companies, are the primary landlords. Housing providers can also be main tenants who sublet living space.

The landlord's confirmation of residence must contain the following information:

• Name and address of the landlord and, if the landlord is not the owner, also the name of the owner
• Date of actual move-in
• the address of the apartment
• the names of all persons required to register who are moving in

Simply submitting the tenancy agreement does not fulfill the statutory requirements, as it does not usually contain all the necessary information.

The confirmation of the landlord can also be submitted electronically to the registration office.

In this case, you will receive a so-called allocation feature from your landlord, which was previously communicated to him/her by the registration authority. If the landlord or a person appointed by him refuses to issue the confirmation or if you are unable to receive the confirmation (in good time) for other reasons, you must inform the registration authority immediately.

You will receive the landlord's confirmation from your landlord.

It is also possible for landlords to submit the confirmation electronically to the registration authority if the municipal/city administration has opened a corresponding access point. In this case, you will receive a so-called assignment feature from your landlord, which will be communicated to him/her by the registration authority.

When you register with the registration office, present the landlord's confirmation of residence or state the allocation feature.

The landlord is obliged to issue the confirmation no later than two weeks after moving in.

If the landlord refuses to issue the confirmation or if you are unable to obtain the confirmation for other reasons, you must inform the registration authority immediately.

There are no fees for issuing the landlord's confirmation of residence.

If the confirmation is not issued by the landlord, or is not issued correctly or on time, the landlord commits an administrative offense punishable by a fine of up to EUR 1,000.

It is prohibited to offer or make available a residential address for registration to a third party, even though a third party neither actually moves into the apartment nor intends to do so. A violation of this prohibition constitutes an administrative offense and can be punished with a fine of up to EUR 50,000.