Wohnungsgeberbestätigung 2026 – landlord’s form (§ 19 BMG)

At a glance

Wohnungsgeberbestätigung – summary

Costs
Free of charge

Issuing the confirmation is a statutory obligation of the person providing the accommodation and in practice is fulfilled free of charge. However, the Federal Act on Registration does not contain an explicit prohibition on charging for it; if someone nevertheless demands a processing fee, there is no legal basis for it – you do not have to pay it, and the confirmation is still owed. The subsequent Anmeldung or Ummeldung with the registration authority is also free of charge.

Deadline
Within 2 weeks of moving in

The person providing the accommodation must confirm your move-in within the deadline under § 17 Abs. 1 BMG. You too must register with the registration authority within the same two-week deadline – both deadlines run from the day you actually move in, not from the start of the contract.

Method
Have the form filled in by the person providing the accommodation

The confirmation is given in writing with a signature or – if your local authority offers this – electronically, directly to the registration authority under § 19 Abs. 4 BMG. It is then presented at the Anmeldung or Ummeldung at the Bürgeramt.

Required documents

Documents and mandatory information

What you need for the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung and the subsequent Anmeldung – and which information must be included in the confirmation under § 19 Abs. 3 BMG.

Form or informal letter from the person providing the accommodation

Everyone who registers an address or a change of address needs this document – from first occupancy (Erstbezug) to a move within the same city. There is no uniform nationwide form: every city and municipality provides its own PDF free of charge for download on its administrative portal, often under the keywords “Wohnungsgeberbestätigung” or “Vermieterbescheinigung”. You are not bound by the local template – an informal, signed letter is also accepted, provided it contains all the mandatory information under § 19 Abs. 3 BMG.

Identity card or passport

The Wohnungsgeberbestätigung alone is not sufficient at the Bürgeramt – you must also prove your identity. You must present a valid identity card (Personalausweis) or passport; expired documents are not accepted and mean that you need a new appointment. For children moving with you, bring their identity document or birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde); foreign nationals also bring their residence title or visa.

Completed registration form (Meldeschein)

As the person required to register, you fill in the Meldeschein yourself – it is not the same as the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung but supplements it. You can get it directly at the Bürgeramt counter or in advance as a PDF on your local authority’s portal; this saves waiting time at the appointment. Among other things, it asks for your birth details, marital status, nationality and religious affiliation – the latter is relevant for the collection of church tax (Kirchensteuer).

Proof of authorisation in the case of representation

Under § 19 Abs. 1 BMG, the person providing the accommodation may be represented by an authorised person – in practice, this is usually the property management company, the estate agent or a family member. If the person providing the accommodation does not sign personally, the confirmation should show on whose behalf the signatory is acting; some registration authorities also require a short power of attorney in writing. If this link is missing, the authority may raise queries and delay the Anmeldung.

Information about the owner in the case of a sublet

If the person providing the accommodation is not also the owner – for example in the case of a sublet, in a shared flat or when living with relatives – § 19 Abs. 3 Nr. 1 BMG also requires the name of the owner. Clarify this information with the main tenant before the appointment, because without it the confirmation is incomplete. You do not have to provide separate proof of ownership; however, if in doubt, the registration authority may enquire directly with the owner under § 19 Abs. 5 BMG.

Tenancy agreement (supplementary, not a substitute)

The tenancy agreement is not a mandatory document and expressly does not replace the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, because it only proves the contractual relationship and not the actual move-in on a specific date. It can nevertheless be worth bringing a copy: if there are questions about the address, the apartment number or the identity of the landlord, much can be clarified at the appointment. If you live free of charge with family or friends, there is no contract at all – the confirmation is still mandatory.

Mandatory information under § 19 Abs. 3 BMG

If even one of these pieces of information is missing, the confirmation is incomplete and the registration authority will reject it. Therefore, check the document point by point before the appointment.

Name and address of the person providing the accommodation

The full first name and surname or the company name of the person providing the accommodation must be stated, together with an address for service – not just a PO box. For a housing company or property management company, its business address is sufficient. This information enables the registration authority to write to the person providing the accommodation if in doubt or to initiate regulatory fine proceedings.

Name of the owner, if different

If the person providing the accommodation is not the owner, the name of the owner must also be entered; § 19 Abs. 3 Nr. 1 BMG does not require the owner’s address. Particularly in sublets and shared flats, the owner’s name is easily forgotten; without it, the confirmation is incomplete. If you let the property yourself as the owner, the field is left blank or marked “identisch” (identical).

Moving-in date

The decisive date is the day you actually move in, i.e. the day from which you use the home – not the start of the tenancy agreement and not the day the keys were handed over, if that took place earlier. Your two-week deadline for the Anmeldung under § 17 Abs. 1 BMG runs from this date. A moving-out date does not belong in the confirmation: § 19 Abs. 3 Nr. 2 BMG requires only the moving-in date.

Address of the home

The address must be complete: street, house number including any addition such as “12a”, postcode and town. In larger residential complexes, it is also useful to state the entrance, floor or apartment number so that the registration authority can identify the residential unit unambiguously. Discrepancies between the confirmation and the Meldeschein regularly lead to queries.

Names of all persons required to register

The first names and surnames of all persons moving in must be listed – including newborn and minor children, for whom the parents carry out the Anmeldung. For anyone who is not on the confirmation, there is no proof of moving in: the confirmation must be supplemented, or issued separately for that person, and submitted later. If flatmates move in on different dates, have separate confirmations issued, each with the correct moving-in date.

Written form and signature

§ 19 Abs. 1 BMG requires a confirmation in writing, which is why registration authorities expect the handwritten signature of the person providing the accommodation or of the authorised person. Whether a copy, a scan or a photo is sufficient depends on the competent authority – if you attend in person, the signed original is usually required. If the person providing the accommodation transmits the confirmation electronically, directly to the authority under § 19 Abs. 4 BMG, no signature on paper is needed.

Step by step

How to get the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung

From obtaining the form to presenting it at the Bürgeramt.

1

Find out who the Wohnungsgeber is

First clarify who actually has to sign. Under Nr. 19.1 BMGVwV, the Wohnungsgeber is the person who actually makes the home available to you for use – in a conventional tenancy the landlord, in a sublet or a WG the main tenant, and when living free of charge with family the occupant of the home. If a property management company manages the property, contact it directly: it may sign as an authorised person. If you move in yourself as the owner, issue the confirmation for yourself. This step only takes a few minutes but prevents the most common delay – a signature by the wrong person.
2

Download the form

Download the PDF form from the administrative portal of the city or municipality in which the new home is located – not from your previous place of residence. There is no uniform nationwide form, but the local templates all ask for the same mandatory information under § 19 Abs. 3 BMG. The download is free of charge and takes a few minutes; you do not need templates from private providers that charge a fee. Many larger landlords and housing companies use their own form anyway – ask beforehand whether this is the case.
3

Have the Wohnungsgeber fill in and sign the form

If possible, hand over the form in person on the day the keys are handed over, or send it by email to the property management company. Under § 19 Abs. 1 BMG, the person providing the accommodation is obliged to confirm the move-in within the deadline under § 17 Abs. 1 BMG – i.e. within two weeks; the law does not provide for a fee for this. In your request, politely set a specific date by which you need the confirmation, and refer to the statutory deadline. If the property management company does not respond, a reminder in writing by email helps; you can later present it as proof of your efforts.
4

Check the information for completeness

Go through the confirmation immediately after receiving it, while corrections are still straightforward. Are the name and address of the person providing the accommodation correct? In the case of a sublet, is the owner also entered? Does the moving-in date correspond to the actual move-in and not to the start of the contract? Are the address of the home and all persons moving in, including children, listed, and has it been signed? If any item is missing, the registration authority will reject the confirmation and you must submit a complete one later – an avoidable additional official procedure.
5

Book an appointment at the Bürgeramt

Ideally, book the appointment with the registration authority of your new place of residence online before the move. In metropolitan areas, appointments are often booked up for several weeks – so book as a precaution as soon as the moving-in date is fixed, and cancel if necessary. Important for the deadline: if it can be shown that no appointment was available within the two weeks, the delay is usually not held against you; keep the booking confirmation as proof. Some local authorities also offer queue numbers for walk-in visits.
6

Present the confirmation at the Bürgeramt

Bring the signed Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, a valid identity card or passport and the completed Meldeschein to the appointment, and for children moving with you their identity documents. The processing itself usually takes only ten to fifteen minutes; the Anmeldung is entered in the population register (Melderegister) immediately and the new address is noted on the address sticker on your identity document. If you would like proof in writing for your employer, bank or insurance company, ask for a registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) at the same appointment. Keep the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung afterwards – if the authority has any queries, it is your evidence.

Cost information

Costs, fees and regulatory fines

The confirmation itself is free of charge – it only becomes expensive if deadlines are missed or false information is given.

Costs – Wohnungsgeberbestätigung

Issuing the WohnungsgeberbestätigungFree of charge – in doing so, the person providing the accommodation fulfils a statutory obligation under § 19 Abs. 1 BMG; there is no legal basis for a fee or processing charge. If payment is nevertheless demanded, you are not obliged to pay.

Anmeldung or Ummeldung at the BürgeramtFree of charge – the Anmeldung, Ummeldung and Abmeldung in the population register are free of charge nationwide. The address sticker for the identity card and passport is also applied without a fee.

Meldebescheinigung as an additional serviceSubject to a fee – the amount depends on the fee ordinance of the federal state or local authority concerned and on the competent authority. Check the amount on your city’s portal before the appointment.

Regulatory fine: confirmation not issued or issued lateUp to €1,000 for the person providing the accommodation (§ 54 Abs. 2 in conjunction with Abs. 3 BMG). The specific amount is at the discretion of the authority; for a first and minor infringement, there is often only a warning.

Regulatory fine: deadline for the Anmeldung missedUp to €1,000 for the person required to register (§ 54 Abs. 2 in conjunction with Abs. 3 BMG). In practice, for a short delay, a considerably lower warning fine (Verwarnungsgeld) is usually imposed, provided you give a plausible reason.

Regulatory fine: sham registration without actually moving inUp to €50,000 for anyone who offers or provides a residential address for a sham registration – for example the person providing the accommodation who issues a confirmation as a favour (§ 54 Abs. 1 in conjunction with Abs. 3 BMG). Anyone who registers themselves at an address that is not lived in risks up to €1,000 (§ 54 Abs. 2 Nr. 1 in conjunction with Abs. 3 BMG).

Means of payment play no role for the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, as no fee is charged for it. If an additional service subject to a fee, such as a Meldebescheinigung, is applied for at the same appointment, most Bürgeramt offices accept EC cards and cash payment; whether a credit card or payment in advance via the online portal is possible depends on the competent authority. Regulatory fines, on the other hand, are never collected at the Bürgeramt but are served by fine notice (Bußgeldbescheid) with a deadline for bank transfer – you can file an objection (Einspruch) against this Bußgeldbescheid within two weeks of service.

Practical notes

Important notes and special cases

Special situations, deadlines and automatic processes that are not explained on the form itself.

Get the form in good time: Download the form before the move and hand it over at the latest when the keys are handed over. Large housing companies and property management companies are aware of the obligation and often enclose the confirmation with the handover report of their own accord – ask for it before you use a form of your own. The sooner you have the confirmation, the more easily you can meet the two-week deadline.

Owners who move in themselves: If you move into an apartment or house you own, you are both the Wohnungsgeber and the person required to register. You then issue the confirmation for yourself and sign it – this is expressly permitted and is accepted by registration authorities. In this case, the field for a different owner remains blank.

WG, sublet and living with relatives: Even if you live free of charge with family, a partner or friends, you need a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung – under Nr. 19.1 BMGVwV, it does not matter whether there is a tenancy agreement. The Wohnungsgeber is whoever actually makes the home available, so in a WG usually the main tenant. Because the main tenant is not the owner, the name of the owner must also be entered (§ 19 Abs. 3 Nr. 1 BMG); if this information is missing, the confirmation is incomplete and must be supplemented.

Property management company as an authorised representative: In larger residential complexes, the property management company regularly takes care of issuing the confirmation – § 19 Abs. 1 BMG expressly permits representation by an authorised person. Address your request directly to the management company and state the property, the apartment number and the moving-in date so that the confirmation can be issued without queries. The document should show that it was signed on behalf of the person providing the accommodation.

Electronic transmission: Under § 19 Abs. 4 BMG, the person providing the accommodation can also transmit the confirmation electronically, directly to the registration authority. You then receive a reference code (Zuordnungsmerkmal) with which the authority matches your Anmeldung to the confirmation it already has – in this case you no longer need a paper form. Whether this option is available depends on whether your local authority has already introduced the procedure; check this beforehand on your city’s administrative portal.

No confirmation of moving out, not even when moving away to another country: Under § 19 Abs. 1 BMG, the person providing the accommodation confirms only the move-in; the law does not provide for a confirmation of moving out. If you move within Germany, there is no Abmeldung (deregistration) at all; the Anmeldung at the new address is sufficient, and the old address is deregistered automatically. Anyone who moves abroad and does not move into a new home in Germany makes an Abmeldung under § 17 Abs. 2 BMG – a confirmation from the landlord is not required for this.

Moving to Germany from abroad: Foreign nationals moving to Germany are subject to the same obligation and the same two-week deadline as German nationals. The Anmeldung is the key to practically everything else: without a registered address, there is generally no tax identification number (Steuer-ID, IdNr.), no current account, no employment contract with the correct wages tax (Lohnsteuer) and no processing by the Ausländerbehörde (foreigners authority). The tax identification number is assigned automatically after the Anmeldung and sent to you by post – you do not have to apply for it.

Second home and secondary residence: A separate Wohnungsgeberbestätigung is also required for a secondary residence – for example a room near your place of work or student accommodation – because every home is registered separately. At the Anmeldung, you state which home is your principal residence; the decisive factor is the home that is predominantly used. Note that many local authorities levy a second home tax (Zweitwohnungsteuer) on secondary residences, and whether and how much is levied depends on the municipality concerned.

Keep the confirmation: Keep a copy or a scan of the confirmation, even after the Anmeldung has been completed. If there are later queries from the registration authority, regulatory fine proceedings for allegedly late Anmeldung or a dispute about the moving-in date, the signed document is your most important evidence. The same is advisable for landlords: if in doubt, they must be able to prove that they fulfilled their obligation to cooperate on time.

Avoid these mistakes

Common mistakes with the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung

These mistakes regularly lead to rejected confirmations, requests for further documents or regulatory fine proceedings.

Missing the deadline for the Anmeldung: Under § 17 Abs. 1 BMG, the Anmeldung must be made within two weeks of moving in. Anyone who misses this deadline commits a regulatory offence (Ordnungswidrigkeit), which can be punished under § 54 BMG with a regulatory fine (Geldbuße) of up to €1,000 – in practice usually a Verwarnungsgeld, but a formal Bußgeldbescheid if you remain inactive for longer. Therefore, request the confirmation immediately after the keys are handed over and book the appointment at the same time.

Incomplete information: If the moving-in date, the signature or – in the case of a sublet – the name of the owner is missing, the confirmation is incomplete under § 19 Abs. 3 BMG and will be rejected at the counter. The Anmeldung must nevertheless be accepted (Nr. 19.0 BMGVwV), but you must submit the complete confirmation later – depending on the local authority, this means a further official procedure. Therefore, check the document immediately after receiving it, not only once you are in the waiting area of the Bürgeramt.

Presenting the tenancy agreement as a substitute: The tenancy agreement does not replace the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, as it merely proves the contractual relationship and does not confirm the actual move-in on a specific date. Anyone who presents only the contract must submit the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung later; only then is the Anmeldung complete. The Bürgeramt expressly requires the document under § 19 BMG – the two are separate pieces of proof.

Entering the start of the contract instead of the actual move-in: The date is often taken from the tenancy agreement, even though the move-in did not take place until weeks later. As a result, the population register and reality do not match, and the authority can initiate correction proceedings or – because, by calculation, the deadline expired long ago – impose a regulatory fine for late Anmeldung. Always enter the day from which you actually use the home.

A confirmation as a favour without a real move-in: A confirmation for an address where nobody actually lives – for example to obtain a registered address for authorities, a bank or vehicle registration – is a sham registration. Under § 54 Abs. 1 in conjunction with Abs. 3 BMG, the person providing the accommodation who makes the address available for this faces a regulatory fine of up to €50,000, and the registered person faces up to €1,000 for an incorrect Anmeldung under § 54 Abs. 2 Nr. 1 BMG; in addition, there may be criminal consequences and the deletion of the registration from the register. Do not agree to it, even if it is supposed to be “only temporary”.

Paying money for the confirmation to be issued: Some landlords or management companies demand a processing fee for the confirmation. There is no legal basis for this: issuing it is a statutory obligation to cooperate under § 19 Abs. 1 BMG and is owed without anything in return. Although the Federal Act on Registration does not expressly prohibit charging for it, it does not give the person providing the accommodation any right to payment either. Politely point out the provision; if the demand is maintained, inform the registration authority, which can initiate regulatory fine proceedings for refusal to cooperate.

Bringing only a copy or a photo on your mobile phone: Whether a copy, a scan or a photo of the confirmation is sufficient depends on the competent authority; if you attend in person, most Bürgeramt offices require the signed original. Anyone who only has a photo on their smartphone risks the appointment ending without result. Check the requirement beforehand on your local authority’s portal or bring the original to be on the safe side.

Forgetting children or flatmates: All persons moving in must be named on the confirmation, including babies and minor children. For anyone who is not listed, there is no proof of moving in – the confirmation must be submitted later for that person. Add any missing names before the appointment and have the person providing the accommodation initial the change, instead of entering it by hand yourself.

Frequently asked questions

Questions about the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung

What is a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung?

The Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord’s confirmation) is a document required by law under § 19 BMG (Federal Act on Registration), with which the person providing the accommodation confirms that a specific person moved into their home on a specific date. Since 1 November 2015, it has been a mandatory document for every Anmeldung and Ummeldung with the registration authority and serves to prevent sham registrations at addresses where nobody lives.

Does the landlord have to issue the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, and within what deadline?

Yes. Under § 19 Abs. 1 BMG, the person providing the accommodation is obliged to cooperate in the Anmeldung and to confirm the move-in in writing or electronically within the deadline under § 17 Abs. 1 BMG – i.e. within two weeks of moving in. Anyone who does not issue the confirmation, does not issue it correctly or does not issue it in time commits a regulatory offence and faces a regulatory fine (Geldbuße) of up to €1,000.

Where can I get the form for the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung?

Every city and municipality provides its own PDF form free of charge on its administrative portal; there is no uniform nationwide form. However, you are not bound by the local template: an informal letter from the person providing the accommodation is also accepted, as long as it contains all the mandatory information under § 19 Abs. 3 BMG and the signature.

What happens if the landlord refuses to issue the confirmation?

Under § 19 Abs. 2 BMG, you are in fact obliged to inform the registration authority without delay that the person providing the accommodation has not issued the confirmation or has not issued it in time – although an infringement of this obligation to notify is not subject to a regulatory fine under § 54 BMG, your own obligation to register under § 17 Abs. 1 BMG still applies. Therefore, register at the Bürgeramt within the deadline and expressly report there that you have not received the confirmation. The registration authority can write to the person providing the accommodation, obtain information from the owner of the home under § 19 Abs. 5 BMG and initiate regulatory fine proceedings with a regulatory fine of up to €1,000.

Does the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung cost anything?

No, issuing it is free of charge. It is a statutory obligation of the person providing the accommodation, which must be fulfilled without anything in return; the Federal Act on Registration does not contain any legal basis for a claim to a fee or processing charge. The Anmeldung itself is also free of charge at the registration authority; costs only arise for additional services such as a separate registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung).

Is the tenancy agreement sufficient instead of the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung?

No, the tenancy agreement does not replace the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung. The tenancy agreement only proves the tenancy, whereas § 19 BMG requires an explicit confirmation of the actual move-in on a specific date; if this document is missing, the Anmeldung must nevertheless be accepted under Nr. 19.0 BMGVwV, but you must submit the confirmation later.

Who is the Wohnungsgeber in a sublet, a WG or when living with relatives?

Under Nr. 19.1 BMGVwV, the Wohnungsgeber (the person providing the accommodation) is always the person who actually makes the home available for use – regardless of whether this is done for payment or free of charge. In a WG or a sublet, this is usually the main tenant, and with relatives the occupant of the home; if the Wohnungsgeber is not the owner, the name of the owner must also be stated in the confirmation under § 19 Abs. 3 Nr. 1 BMG.

Do I also need a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung when I move out?

No. Under § 19 Abs. 1 BMG, the person providing the accommodation confirms only the move-in; the Federal Act on Registration does not provide for a confirmation of moving out – not even when moving away to another country, in which case you must deregister under § 17 Abs. 2 BMG. If you move within Germany, there is no Abmeldung at all; the Anmeldung at the new address with the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung for that address is sufficient.

More official procedures