Aufforderung zur Anmeldung (Meldebehörde)
Meldebehörde letter about your Anmeldung: register your address within 2 weeks
From: The Meldebehörde (registration office, Bürgeramt) of your city
The registration office says you have not registered your address, or not on time. In Germany everyone who moves into a flat must register. The letter asks you to do it or to comment.
Got this letter? Get your personal explanation.Take a photo. See your deadline, amount, and next steps, in your language. First letter free.Why you got this letter
- You moved into a flat and did not register within two weeks.
- You moved to another place in the same town and did not report the new address.
- You moved out and did not deregister.
- The office learned about your address from the landlord or other sources.
What to do
- 1Read the date and the deadline in the letter. Register as soon as you can. Check your city's website for how to book an appointment or register.
- 2Get the confirmation from your landlord (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung). By law the landlord must confirm your move-in to the registration office. You need the details for your registration.
- 3If the landlord refuses or you do not get the confirmation in time, tell the registration office without delay.
- 4Check the office's website for other documents to bring. This is usually your passport or ID card.
- 5If you want to explain why you were late, answer the letter in writing and keep a copy.
- 6If you move out of Germany or without a new flat in Germany, deregister within two weeks after moving out.
Deadline
By law: within two weeks after you move in. To deregister: within two weeks after you move out, if you do not move into another flat in Germany. You can deregister no earlier than one week before you move out. The letter may give a shorter deadline.
If you do nothing
Registering late, incompletely, or not at all is an administrative offence (§ 54 BMG). The fine can be up to 1,000 euros. Late deregistration is covered by the same fine range. The authority decides in the individual case.
Can you object?
The letter is usually a request or a hearing (Anhörung), not a decision. If a Bußgeldbescheid follows, you can file an Einspruch within two weeks after delivery (§ 67 OWiG). Check the instructions in the notice.
Words in this letter
- Anmeldung
- Registering your address with the registration office.
- Abmeldung
- Deregistering when you move out.
- Meldebehörde / Bürgeramt
- The registration office.
- Wohnungsgeberbestätigung
- A confirmation from your landlord that you moved in.
- Ordnungswidrigkeit
- An administrative offence that can lead to a fine.
Example reply
Explain a late registration and say when you registered or will register.
[Vor- und Nachname]
[Anschrift]
Geburtsdatum: [Geburtsdatum]
An: [Meldebehörde, Adresse laut Schreiben]
[Ort], [Datum]
Betreff: Ihr Schreiben vom [Datum], Aktenzeichen [Aktenzeichen]
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
ich habe Ihr Schreiben vom [Datum] erhalten. Ich bin am [Datum] in die Wohnung [Anschrift] eingezogen.
[Ich habe mich am [Datum] angemeldet. Eine Bestätigung liegt bei. / Ich habe einen Termin zur Anmeldung am [Datum].]
Die Verspätung hat folgenden Grund: [Grund, zum Beispiel: Ich habe die Wohnungsgeberbestätigung erst am [Datum] erhalten / Es gab keinen früheren Termin].
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
[Unterschrift]
[Vor- und Nachname]Show English translation
[Full name] [Address] Date of birth: [date of birth] To: [registration office, address as on the letter] [Place], [date] Subject: Your letter dated [date], reference [reference] Dear Sir or Madam, I received your letter dated [date]. I moved into the flat at [address] on [date]. [I registered on [date]. A confirmation is attached. / I have an appointment to register on [date].] The delay has the following reason: [reason, for example: I only received the landlord's confirmation on [date] / No earlier appointment was available]. Kind regards [Signature] [Full name]
Questions people ask
How long do I have to register?
Two weeks after you move into a flat (§ 17 Abs. 1 BMG). This also applies if you move within the same town.
What if my landlord does not give me the confirmation?
The landlord must confirm your move-in to the registration office within the registration period. If the landlord refuses, or you do not get the confirmation in time, tell the registration office without delay.
How high can the fine be?
Up to 1,000 euros for late, incomplete or missing registration (§ 54 BMG). Offering an address for a registration when nobody lives there can be fined up to 50,000 euros. The actual amount is decided in the individual case.
Do I have to deregister when I leave?
Yes, if you do not move into another flat in Germany. Within two weeks after moving out, at the earliest one week before you move out.
Sources
- § 17 BMG (Anmeldung, Abmeldung)
- § 19 BMG (Mitwirkung des Wohnungsgebers)
- § 54 BMG (Bußgeldvorschriften)
Updated 2026-10-20. This page explains a common type of letter; it is not legal advice. Your letter may differ, so check its dates and amounts.