I'm Moving Next Month — What Do I Need to Re-Register?
Sort your re-registration tasks by urgency. This way, you won't lose track of anything:
- Legal obligations with a deadline — fines may apply if you're late (citizens' office/Bürgeramt, vehicle registration, Foreigners' Registration Office/Ausländerbehörde, Jobcenter, broadcasting fee/Rundfunkbeitrag).
- Authorities and offices without a fixed deadline — important so that money and mail reach you (Family Benefits Office/Familienkasse, health insurance, tax office/Finanzamt, daycare/school, housing benefit office/Wohngeldstelle).
- Private contracts — so that bills, contracts and utilities stay correct (bank, insurance, electricity/gas, internet, mail forwarding, family doctor).
The following sections go through these three groups one by one.
1. Legal Obligations With a Deadline (Handle These First)
These notifications are legally required. If you miss them, you risk a fine.
- Re-register your residence at the citizens' office (Bürgeramt) — within 2 weeks. § 17 BMG requires you to register within two weeks of moving in. You'll need your ID card or passport and the landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung) (a written confirmation from your landlord that you moved in, as required under § 19 BMG). Registering itself is free. For a detailed step-by-step guide, see Registering Your Residence: Where and How to Do It After Moving?.
- Re-register your vehicle — without delay. As the vehicle owner, you must notify the vehicle registration office of a changed address without delay (that means without culpable hesitation); this follows from the notification requirements under the Vehicle Registration Regulation (§ 15 FZV). If you move within Germany, you may keep your current license plate. Fees apply; bring your vehicle registration certificate (Fahrzeugschein), vehicle title (Fahrzeugbrief) and your new registration confirmation.
- Foreigners' Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde) — mandatory if you have a residence permit. If you have a residence permit, you must report your new address to the Foreigners' Registration Office and have it noted on your permit or supplementary sheet. Important: The citizens' office (Bürgeramt) does not automatically forward your new address to the Foreigners' Registration Office — more on this in a separate section below.
- Jobcenter / Citizen's Benefit (Bürgergeld) — report your move immediately. If you receive Citizen's Benefit (Bürgergeld), you must report any change in your circumstances — including a move — without delay. It's best to plan the move in advance with the Jobcenter: in many cases, the costs of the new home must be reasonable, and for people under 25, prior approval from the Jobcenter is usually required for the rent to be covered.
- Broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) — report your move to the Beitragsservice. The broadcasting fee is tied to the home. Report your move to the Beitragsservice von ARD, ZDF und Deutschlandradio so that your account is linked to the new home and you don't pay twice. (We could not confirm the exact reporting deadline from a primary source for this version — report your move promptly and check the deadline at rundfunkbeitrag.de.)
2. Authorities and Offices Without a Fixed Deadline (Handle These Soon)
No fine is at risk here, but reporting late can mean incorrect payments, lost mail, or repayment claims.
- Family Benefits Office (Familienkasse) (child benefit/Kindergeld) — report your address change. If you receive child benefit (Kindergeld), inform the Family Benefits Office of your new address. If the move also changes which Family Benefits Office is responsible for you, your case is usually transferred internally — reporting the change ensures that decisions and payments continue without interruption.
- Health insurance — report your new address. So that your card, mail and certificates reach you, report your move to your statutory or private health insurance provider.
- Tax office (Finanzamt) / Tax ID. Your tax identification number stays the same for life and does not change when you move. Your new registered address is usually forwarded automatically from the registration office to the tax authorities — as an employee, you generally don't need to do anything extra. Exception: If you're self-employed and have your own tax office, you should actively report the move there, especially if moving to a different municipality changes which office is responsible for you.
- Housing benefit office (Wohngeldstelle). If you receive housing benefit (Wohngeld), moving often changes the amount or which office is responsible for you. Report your move and, if necessary, submit a new application — see Applying for Housing Benefit (Wohngeld): Where and How Do I Submit the Application?.
- Daycare and school. If you're moving with children, report the new address to the daycare center or school. Moving to a different city or town may require a change of daycare place or school — take care of this early, as places can be limited.
3. Private contracts and providers (don't forget)
These points aren't handled by government offices, but they're the ones most often forgotten:
- Mail forwarding order. Set up a mail forwarding order (Nachsendeauftrag) with the post office so letters are forwarded from your old address to your new one. This prevents you from missing important notices or bills.
- Electricity and gas. Sign up with or cancel your basic supplier or provider, and read the meter readings on your move-in and move-out days.
- Internet and phone. Report your move early — providers often need weeks of notice, and a technician appointment may be needed at your new connection.
- Bank and insurance. Update your address with your bank, car insurance, liability insurance, and household contents insurance. Your household contents insurance premium may change due to the move.
- Employer, subscriptions, and memberships. Give your new address to your employer and to ongoing contracts (streaming services, gyms, clubs).
- Family doctor / physicians. A change of residence is a good opportunity to find a family doctor near your new home and have your old records or findings transferred.
What deadlines apply when re-registering — an overview
| What | Where | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Register residence | Citizens' office / Registration office (Bürgeramt / Meldebehörde) | 2 weeks after moving in (§ 17 BMG) |
| Re-register vehicle | Vehicle registration office (Zulassungsstelle) | immediately (§ 15 FZV) |
| Address on residence permit | Immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) | promptly, report actively |
| Move while receiving Citizen's Allowance (Bürgergeld) | Job center (Jobcenter) | immediately, plan ahead if possible |
| Broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) | Contribution service (Beitragsservice) | promptly (check deadline at rundfunkbeitrag.de) |
| Child benefit (Kindergeld), health insurance, contracts | respective office | no fixed deadline, but promptly |
Do I have to deregister at my old address?
No — at least not if you're moving within Germany. For a move within Germany, you only register at your new address; your previous address is automatically overwritten in the process. A separate deregistration is only needed if you're moving abroad or giving up a home for good without moving into a new one in Germany. In that case, you must deregister within two weeks after moving out; this can be done at the earliest one week before moving out (§ 17 BMG).
I have a residence permit and I'm moving — what's especially important?
If you hold a residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) (e.g. a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis), settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis), or EU Blue Card), an additional step applies to you: your new address must also be reported to the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) and noted on your permit or the supplementary sheet. Don't rely on the citizens' office (Bürgeramt) here — the registration office (Meldebehörde) does not automatically pass your address change on to the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde).
Even if you're new to Germany and only moving within the same city, you still need to go to the citizens' office (Bürgeramt): re-register within two weeks and bring your passport or residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) and the landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung). If you receive benefits, also inform the job center (Jobcenter) or family benefits office (Familienkasse). This keeps your residence status, mail, and payments running smoothly.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have after moving to re-register?
Under § 17 of the Federal Registration Act (Bundesmeldegesetz), you must register with the citizens' office (Bürgeramt / Meldebehörde) within two weeks of moving in. If you miss the deadline, you risk a fine.
Do I have to deregister at my old address if I'm moving within Germany?
No. For a move within Germany, you only register at your new address — your old address is automatically overwritten in the process. You only need to deregister if you're moving abroad or giving up a home for good.
What do most people forget to update when moving?
Commonly forgotten: notifying the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) (if you have a residence permit), the broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag), re-registering your vehicle, the mail forwarding order (Nachsendeauftrag), and updating your address with the family benefits office (Familienkasse) and health insurance provider.
Do I have to report my address to the immigration office?
Yes. If you hold a residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel), you must report your new address to the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) and have it noted on your permit. The citizens' office (Bürgeramt) does not automatically pass the change on to the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde).
How much does re-registering my residence cost?
Registering or re-registering at the citizens' office (Bürgeramt) itself is free nationwide. Costs only arise for additional services, such as re-registering a vehicle.
I'm new to Germany and moving within the city — what do I need to do?
You must re-register with the citizens' office (Bürgeramt) within two weeks (bringing your passport/residence permit and the landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)), and also report your new address to the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde). If you receive benefits, also inform the job center (Jobcenter) or family benefits office (Familienkasse).
Re-register your move now
Do you need to fill out several forms at the same time — from registering with the citizens' office (Bürgeramt) to re-registering your vehicle? HalloAmt walks you through the questions in your language and creates the finished PDF for each office to submit. Fill out re-registration forms with HalloAmt →
This page provides general, carefully researched information (as of 08.08.2026) and does not replace legal or official advice. Amounts, deadlines, and responsibilities may change; the responsible authority (e.g. your citizens' office, vehicle registration office, or immigration office) decides on a case-by-case basis. For binding information, please contact the relevant authority, a migration counseling service, or a lawyer. We cannot guarantee completeness or accuracy.
Sources
- § 17 Federal Registration Act (Bundesmeldegesetz, BMG) — Registration, deregistration (accessed 08.08.2026)
- § 19 Federal Registration Act (Bundesmeldegesetz, BMG) — Landlord's duty to cooperate (accessed 08.08.2026)
- § 15 Vehicle Registration Regulation (Fahrzeug-Zulassungsverordnung, FZV) — Notification obligations for changes (accessed 08.08.2026)
- Federal Ministry of the Interior — Registration law (accessed 08.08.2026)
- Contribution service (Beitragsservice) of ARD, ZDF, and Deutschlandradio — Report a move (accessed 08.08.2026)
- Family benefits office (Familienkasse) (Federal Employment Agency, Bundesagentur für Arbeit) — Child benefit, reporting changes (accessed 08.08.2026)