Register apartment

Sole residence

If residents have only one home in Germany (96% of all cases), this is referred to as a sole residence according to the language used in registration law - and not a main residence. However, the legal meaning of sole residence is identical to that of main residence.

Main residence

If residents have apartments in several German municipalities, the apartment that is predominantly used at any one time is the main apartment. The other dwellings are secondary residences.

Secondary residence

All other domestic dwellings that have not been designated as the main residence by the registration authority are secondary residences. The obligation to register also applies to secondary residences.

Determining the main residence

The registration law differentiates the determination of the main residence for the following groups of people:

• Single residents (single, divorced, widowed or married persons who are permanently separated or one spouse lives abroad): The main residence of single residents is the dwelling used most of the time.
• Married residents (provided they are not permanently separated and both live in Switzerland): The main residence of married residents is the dwelling predominantly used by the family (family dwelling). If there is no family home (i.e. if the spouses or children are not jointly registered for any home), the main home is the home predominantly used by the spouses concerned.
• Minors (under 18 years of age): The main residence of residents who are minors is the dwelling predominantly used by their legal guardians.
• Disabled persons in institutions for the disabled: The main residence of disabled persons of legal age who are accommodated in a facility for the disabled remains the residence of the previous legal guardians at the request of the disabled person until they reach the age of 27.

Predominant use

The predominant use of a residence is to be assumed to be where the resident (in the case of married couples: where the family lives) stays most frequently. For this purpose, the expected days of residence for the next 12 months must be counted and compared for each dwelling (forecast).

The registration authority checks whether the statements on the predominant use are credible (plausibility check). The distance between the stated places of residence, the usual travel time between them and the frequency of journeys home are of key importance here.

Cases of doubt

Only if it is not possible to objectively determine beyond doubt which residence is predominantly used at any given time, or if a comparison of the times of use reveals only minor differences (e.g. up to one month), is the municipality in which the residents declare that the main focus of their living relationships is located generally decisive for determining the main residence.

New Federal Registration Act (BMG) from 01.11.2015

The new BMG creates uniform national regulations for the first time. Here are the most important changes:

Registration of a residence

• The general obligation to register remains. Anyone moving into a new home must register with the registration authority at their new place of residence. However, the deadline for registration has been extended from one to two weeks after moving in.

The following exceptions to the obligation to register have been added to the Federal Registration Act

• Anyone who is currently registered with a registration authority in Germany and moves into a new home for a stay of no longer than six months does not have to register for this new home. After the six months have expired, registration must be completed within two weeks if the apartment is actually still being used.
• Tourists who otherwise live abroad and are not registered in Germany are required to register after three months.
• As long as citizens are currently registered with a registration authority in Germany, they generally do not have to register if they are admitted to or move into hospitals, nursing homes or other facilities that serve to care for people in need of care or disabled people or for home education.

Confirmation from the landlord always required

The obligation of the landlord to cooperate in the registration process has been reintroduced. The landlord must confirm in writing that the tenant has moved in. The landlord's confirmation of residence must be presented to the registration authority at the time of registration.

The landlord is the person who actually lets another person use an apartment, regardless of whether this is based on an effective legal relationship.

The landlord is usually the owner who rents out the apartment. However, the landlord can also be a person or body commissioned by the owner to rent out the apartment. For example, housing associations can be the owner and issue the landlord's confirmation through authorized representatives. Property management companies can also act as agents for the owner.

For persons living as subtenants, the main tenant can be the landlord. The main tenant can also be the landlord if part of an apartment is given to a third party for actual use without consideration or only against reimbursement of expenses. It should be noted that some apartment owners/landlords only allow subletting by agreement. In these cases, the owner issues the landlord's confirmation. Please contact your landlord/landlady for more information.

If the owner is moving into the apartment themselves, the confirmation is issued as a self-declaration by the person required to register. An extract from the land register or a notarized certificate of ownership must be submitted as proof of ownership.

In any case, the landlord is legally obliged to provide certification.

Application

Registering your main residence online

You can register your main residence in Jena conveniently online. You will need the online ID function of your valid ID card or eID card and an NFC-enabled device to read your ID card (e.g. a smartphone). You will receive the address sticker for your ID card and, if applicable, passport by post. The registration confirmation will be made available to you online.

You can update your vehicle documents online (i-Kfz), which is mandatory in connection with the change of main residence . If you have moved to an area with a resident parking permit, you can apply for this online.

Registering a secondary residence online

You can register a secondary residence in Jena conveniently online. You do not need an online ID card function for this. The registration confirmation will be sent to you.

Personal appointment

You can apply to register a main residence, secondary residence and sole residence in person at the Citizens' Service Office by making an appointment.

• Attention when moving from Ukraine: If personal documents or certificates are only available in Cyrillic script, please ensure that they are translated into Latin script.
• Identity card or passport: Please note the validity.
• Confirmation from the landlord(see Downloads); if the owner is moving into the apartment himself, the confirmation must be submitted as a self-declaration by the person required to register. An extract from the land register or a notarized certificate of ownership must be submitted as proof of ownership.
• Birth certificate in the case of an invalid identity document
• Underage children: For the registration of underage children, single parents or unmarried parents must submit proof of custody and, if both parents have custody, a declaration of consent and a copy of the identity card or passport of the second person with custody.
• When registering a residence for persons from abroad, all previous and current civil status documents must be submitted.

• Federal Registration Act (BMG)