What Is a Meldebescheinigung? (Registration Certificate in Germany)
The Meldebescheinigung explained: what the German registration certificate shows, simple vs. extended version under § 18 BMG, how it differs from the Anmeldebestätigung and the Abmeldebescheinigung, what it costs, and how to get one from abroad.
Oliver Frankfurth · Updated 7 October 2026 · 7 min
A Meldebescheinigung is the official certificate from a German registration office (Meldebehörde) that confirms where you are, or were, registered as a resident. It is what landlords, banks, embassies and foreign authorities mean when they ask for "proof of registration in Germany". The legal basis is § 18 of the Federal Registration Act (Bundesmeldegesetz, BMG).
People mix it up constantly with the two confirmations you get when you register or deregister. Across 40,000+ deregistrations since 2014, the mistake we see most is someone sending a Meldebescheinigung where the Abmeldebescheinigung was asked for, or the other way round, and losing two weeks over it. Here is what the certificate shows, which version you need, and how to get one, including from abroad.
What a Meldebescheinigung shows
Germany keeps a residents' register (Melderegister). Every Anmeldung (registration) and every Abmeldung (deregistration) updates your record in it. A Meldebescheinigung is a dated extract from that record, issued on paper with the office's seal or electronically.
You cannot produce one yourself. A printout of your own data or a screenshot of an online account proves nothing. The certificate has to come from the registration office of the municipality that holds your record.
Simple vs. extended Meldebescheinigung
The law defines two versions. The simple one (einfache Meldebescheinigung) is fixed by § 18 (1) BMG. The extended one (erweiterte Meldebescheinigung) adds further register data on request, § 18 (2) BMG.
| Data on the certificate | Simple (einfache) | Extended (erweiterte) |
|---|---|---|
| Surname, first names, doctorate | Yes | Yes |
| Date of birth | Yes | Yes |
| Current address, marked as main or secondary residence | Yes | Yes |
| Former names, place of birth | No | Yes |
| Nationality, marital status, membership of a public-law religious community | No | Yes |
| Previous addresses with move-in and move-out dates | No | Yes |
| Spouse and minor children | No | Yes |
The rule of thumb: if someone in Germany wants to know where you live now, the simple version does the job. If the request comes from abroad, or the institution needs to see when you lived where, order the extended version. It contains everything the simple one does, so it is the safer choice when the request is vague. Better still, ask the requesting institution which one it accepts before you apply.
Meldebescheinigung, Anmeldebestätigung, Abmeldebescheinigung
Three documents with similar names do three different jobs.
| Document | When you get it | What it proves | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anmeldebestätigung (registration confirmation) | Once, when you register a new address | That you registered, with your move-in date | Free (§ 24 (2) BMG) |
| Abmeldebescheinigung, also Abmeldebestätigung (deregistration confirmation) | Once, when you deregister | That you deregistered, with your move-out date | Free (§ 24 (2) BMG) |
| Meldebescheinigung (registration certificate) | Any time, on request, as often as you need | Your current registration; the extended version also past addresses and dates | Electronic version free (§ 18 (3) BMG), paper version for a municipal fee |
When you leave Germany, the paper you need for the radio tax, health insurance and your contracts is the Abmeldebescheinigung, not the Meldebescheinigung. Our guide to the German deregistration confirmation covers it in detail.
The two meet in one situation. The Abmeldebescheinigung is issued once, and there is no duplicate if you lose it. What you request instead is an extended Meldebescheinigung, which shows your last German address and your move-out date. Some offices call it Meldebescheinigung über die Abmeldung. Health insurers, the Beitragsservice and the German pension insurance accept it as proof that you deregistered.
When you need a Meldebescheinigung
These are the requests we see most often:
- A landlord or employer in Germany wants proof of your current address. The simple version is enough.
- A German bank asks for it when you open or close an account, or move a larger sum from abroad.
- A foreign employer checks your residence history during a background check.
- A court needs it in inheritance proceedings.
- A pension or tax authority in your new country wants to know when your German residence ended.
- You lost your Abmeldebescheinigung, or the office deregistered you ex officio (von Amts wegen) and you never got one.
For cases 3 to 6, order the extended version.
How to get one
You apply to the registration office of the municipality where you are registered, or were last registered. In cities with several Bürgerämter (citizens' offices), any of them can usually issue it. Three routes:
- In person at the Bürgeramt, with your passport or ID card.
- Online, where your municipality offers it. The electronic Meldebescheinigung is free by law (§ 18 (3) BMG). Online applications often require the eID function of a German ID card or electronic residence permit.
- By post or through a representative. Someone else can apply for you with a written power of attorney (Vollmacht) and a copy of your ID.
The paper certificate costs a fee that each municipality sets, typically EUR 5 to 25 depending on the office and the version. By post, plan two to four weeks from application to delivery. Certificates for addresses you left years ago take longer, often four to eight weeks.
There is no legal expiry date. In practice, many institutions only accept a Meldebescheinigung that is no older than three to six months, so request it close to when you need it.
Getting a Meldebescheinigung from abroad
Your record stays in the register after you leave, so you can request a certificate years later, even for an address you left a decade ago. That part is easy. Delivery is where it breaks: many offices post the paper certificate only to a German address, and the online route needs a working eID.
Without either, you need someone in Germany to receive the letter. That is the gap our registration certificate service closes. We apply at the right office on your behalf, or receive your own application at our German address, scan the stamped original and email you the PDF.
If the certificate is going to an authority outside Germany, check whether it needs an apostille. That is a separate step, issued by a state-level authority such as the Regierungspräsidium, not by the Bürgeramt.
Frequently asked questions
Need the certificate but no longer live in Germany?
We apply at the correct Bürgeramt for your last German address, receive the certificate at our German address and email you a high-resolution scan the day it arrives. The original follows by post on request.
Order through our registration certificate service →
Related: The German deregistration confirmation explained · How to deregister from Germany · Late deregistration from Germany
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Oliver Frankfurth
Founder of deregistration.de. Since 2014, Oliver has helped over 40,000 people deregister from Germany. He knows every Bürgeramt, every special case, and every common pitfall.