German bureaucracy glossary
The German words on your letters, forms and contracts, explained in plain English: what they mean, the deadline that comes with them, and what to do next. Every legal rule links to its source.
The deadlines that catch expats out
| Letter or step | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Mahnbescheid (court payment order) | 2 weeks to pay or object |
| Steuerbescheid (tax assessment) | 1 month to object, from the 4th day after posting |
| Widerspruch against an authority | 1 month |
| Anmeldung after moving in | 2 weeks |
| Kündigung of your flat | By the 3rd working day, for the end of the month after next |
| Krankmeldung (sick note) | Doctor's note if sick more than 3 calendar days |
Registration and residence
Abmeldung
Deregistration
Deregistering your address when you leave Germany, within 2 weeks of moving out.
Anmeldung
Address registration
Registering your address within 2 weeks of moving in; the step that unlocks everything else.
Aufenthaltstitel
Residence title
The umbrella term for visas and residence permits, from the Blue Card to permanent residence.
Ausländerbehörde
Foreigners' office (immigration office)
The local immigration office: residence permits, extensions, Blue Cards and settlement permits.
Bürgeramt
Citizens' office
The local citizens' office: Anmeldung, Abmeldung, certificates and ID documents.
Meldebescheinigung
Registration certificate
The certificate that proves your registered address, issued at your Anmeldung.
Wohnungsgeberbestätigung
Landlord's move-in confirmation
Your landlord's written confirmation that you moved in, needed for the Anmeldung.
Taxes
Einspruch
Objection (tax and court)
Your objection against a tax office decision (1 month) or a court enforcement order (2 weeks).
Finanzamt
Tax office
Your local tax office: tax returns, assessments, tax classes and freelancer registration.
Lohnsteuerbescheinigung
Annual wage tax certificate
Your employer's annual statement of gross pay and tax withheld, needed for the tax return.
Steuer-ID
Tax identification number
Your lifelong 11-digit tax ID, sent automatically after your first Anmeldung.
Steuerbescheid
Tax assessment notice
The tax office's decision on your tax return: refund, back-payment and the 1-month objection deadline.
Steuerklasse
Tax class
One of six wage-tax classes that decide how much tax is withheld from your salary each month.
Letters and deadlines
Mahnbescheid
Court payment order
A court payment order: 2 weeks to pay or object, otherwise enforcement follows.
Mahnung
Payment reminder
A payment reminder from a company or landlord; the step before a court order or debt collection.
Widerspruch
Objection (authorities)
Your objection against decisions of most German authorities (1 month) or a court payment order (2 weeks).
Housing and contracts
Kaltmiete
Net cold rent
The base rent without service charges or heating; Warmmiete is the total you actually pay.
Kaution
Rental deposit
The rental deposit: max 3 months' net cold rent, payable in 3 instalments.
Kündigung
Notice of termination
Written notice ending a contract: flat, job, phone or gym, each with its own notice period.
Nebenkostenabrechnung
Annual utility statement
The landlord's yearly settlement of service charges: refund or back-payment, with strict deadlines.
Work and insurance
Haftpflichtversicherung
Personal liability insurance
Private liability insurance: not mandatory, but almost every German household has it.
Krankmeldung
Sick note and reporting sick
Reporting sick: tell your employer at once, doctor's note from day 4 (or earlier if asked).
Sozialversicherungsnummer
Social security number
Your 12-character social security number, issued once by the pension insurance.
Money and banking
Need the full picture?
The glossary explains the word; our guides walk you through the whole process.