The moving boxes and cupboards have been brought into the new apartment, the chili con carne was eaten with the moving helpers – but wasn’t there anything else? The move to the authorities follows the relocation stress: Anyone moving in Germany has to re-register. But which authority do you have to contact? What are the deadlines for re-registering? And how high can the penalties be if you change your registration too late? All information at a glance.
Re-registering: do I have to re-register at all?
Yes, anyone who moves into a new apartment in Germany is obliged to report to the competent authority. This regulates paragraph 17 paragraph 1 of Bundesmeldegesetzes (BMG). The office will issue a registration certificate upon request. This re-registration only applies to people who will be living in their new place of residence for at least six months. And: If you can’t make it to the registration office in person, you can also issue a power of attorney and send a representative to the office to carry out the change of registration.
Re-registration deadline: What are the deadlines for re-registering?
According to Paragraph 17 BMG report to the responsible office within 14 days of moving in. As a rule, the residents ‘registration office is responsible, in some places this belongs to the citizens’ or district office. The notification period of two weeks also applies if citizens move out of an apartment but do not move into a new apartment in Germany.
14 day re-registration period: Are there differences between different federal states or cities?
The same re-registration deadline generally applies in all cities. The registration authorities of many cities explicitly state on their websites that citizens have to re-register there within 14 days. This applies to Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Essen, Düsseldorf, Hanover, Bremen, Dresden and Kiel, for example. However, the city of Hanover announces online: If no date is available within the period, apply “the appointment booking as proof of compliance with the deadline”.
Local differences tend to be found in the question of whether and how a violation of the deadline for re-registration is punished.
Missed deadline: what happens if you re-register too late?
Authorities can impose fines if a move into a new apartment is reported too late. However, the authorities are also free to waive such a penalty. This is ultimately decided on a case-by-case basis and by the clerk on site. There can also be big differences in the amount of a possible fine.
Reregistered too late: what penalties do you face?
If you do not change your registration in time, you can get a fine from the office. If the re-registration deadline is not met, a penalty of up to 1000 euros to be imposed. This also applies to cars that are re-registered too late. However, it is not a criminal offense, but an administrative offense that can be punished in different ways.
The sanctioning of late registrations varies from place to place. Ultimately, the clerks can decide for themselves whether a fine is to be imposed at all. If the re-registration deadline has not been exceeded by many months, in many cases no punishment at all prescribed or only a low of 10 to 30 euros. However, you shouldn’t rely on it. The fact is that the re-registration period of 14 days applies to everyone. And the authorities are free to impose fines for late re-registrations. This also applies to the re-registration of the car.
Re-registration and Corona: What deadlines apply in the pandemic?
The corona pandemic has almost completely paralyzed public life in phases. A response was made at the end of March 2020: The fines for late re-registrations have meanwhile been suspended. To this day, for example, on the side of the city of Recklinghausen, the re-registration period has been extended due to the corona situation. Since timely appointments with authorities are still difficult to get in many cities due to the pandemic, goodwill from the authorities is to be expected here – such as in Hanover. Those who are obliged to change their registration must, however, make an appointment with the responsible office.
Re-registration: What are the fees?
The re-registration is free in most cities and towns – if it happens within the given period. Basically it is authorities may charge fees for the change of registration. The respective offices usually provide information about this on their website. Under certain circumstances, a fee may also apply if the change of address is to be entered in vehicle registration documents or registration certificates.
Which documents are required for the change of registration?
The following documents are usually required to re-register:
- the identity documents of all persons to be re-registered
- the home owner certificate (standard form according to Paragarf 19 BMG)
- Vehicle registration / registration certificate, if applicable, if the change of registration should also be noted there
- When moving a minor child: Declaration of consent from the legal guardian
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