Open a bank account

You may be able to use an existing EU or EEA account for euro SEPA payments in Germany; a German IBAN is not always necessary. If you need a basic account (Basiskonto), you can apply directly to a bank.

In short

• You do not automatically need a German IBAN. For covered euro SEPA transfers and direct debits, a reachable account in another EU/EEA state must not be refused just because of its country. A French or Dutch account can receive wages or pay a covered rent debit. UK and Swiss SEPA participation does not give the same EU-law guarantee.
• You may apply directly for a Basiskonto; an ordinary-account refusal is not a prerequisite. Eligible consumers lawfully staying in the EU include people without a fixed address, asylum seekers and people who cannot be removed for legal or practical reasons.
• Once the bank receives your complete Basiskonto application, it has ten business days to offer a contract or give a lawful refusal. That does not guarantee the account will be active by day ten. Limited refusal grounds and identity and anti-money-laundering checks still apply.
• Banks can have different document requirements, including whether they ask for a Meldebescheinigung. A refusal from one bank is not a national rule; compare fees as well.
• Give the IBAN to payroll and, if rent is paid by transfer, to the landlord. Do not publish it on a housing advert or a social-media post.

What you need to know

For covered euro SEPA transfers and direct debits, Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 260/2012 protects use of a reachable payment account in another EU/EEA state. A payer or payee cannot insist on a DE IBAN merely because of its country. An account in France or the Netherlands can therefore be used for covered wage transfers or rent debits.

A German account may still suit your cash, fee or service needs. The wider SEPA area includes the UK and Switzerland, but do not assume identical EU-law protection for their accounts. Since 9 October 2025, banks in the euro area must also offer Verification of Payee for euro credit transfers. A warning that the name does not match the IBAN is a normal result of that check.

You can apply for a Basiskonto directly at an institution offering consumer payment accounts. Under section 31, eligible consumers lawfully staying in the EU include people without a fixed address, asylum seekers and people who cannot be removed for legal or practical reasons.

After receipt of a complete section 33 application, the institution must confirm receipt with a copy and offer the contract without delay, no later than ten business days, unless a statutory refusal ground applies. This is an offer deadline, not a promise that verification, acceptance and activation are all completed by then.

Refusal is limited to sections 35–37, for example an already usable payment account in Germany (with closure exceptions), specified prior misconduct or lawful termination, or inability to meet legal anti-money-laundering duties. Under section 34, a refusal must be communicated by the same ten-business-day deadline, with reasons in text form unless legal security/disclosure restrictions prevent giving them, and information about review. The linked official service explains the BaFin administrative review and provides its form. Identity checks still apply; fees and ordinary-account processes differ by bank.

What to do

1. Check whether your existing EU/EEA account supports the covered SEPA payment. If a form or employer demands a DE IBAN, ask in writing for processing that complies with Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 260/2012 and retain the refusal or screenshot. Use the European Commission complaint route and Bundesbank guidance to find the competent body; opening a new account is not the only response.
2. Compare institutions on their own pages. Look at the fee sheet, the identity check, and whether the account can receive a salary and send a SEPA transfer. Do not rely on a comparison site’s ranking as if it were an official list.
3. Take a passport or identity document the bank lists. If you already have the Anmeldung, take the Meldebescheinigung as well. If you do not have it yet, ask that bank whether it will open an account before registration. A “no” from one bank is not a national rule.
4. If you need a Basiskonto, submit the complete statutory application directly to the institution. Keep its receipt and copy. Ask promptly for any missing fields. If it refuses or misses the deadline, use the linked BaFin review service and keep the application, receipt and response. The ten business days run from receipt of the complete application.
5. When the account exists, give the IBAN to payroll and, if rent is paid by transfer, to the landlord. Store the IBAN where you can find it for the tax office later. Under section 139b (10) of the Fiscal Code, a person may transmit an IBAN to the Federal Central Tax Office, subject to the minor-child rule in that subsection, so that it can be stored for certain public payments. That transmission is separate from opening the account and is not required in order to open one.

Unknown payments: act immediately

Check account movements regularly. If you see a payment you do not recognise, contact the bank immediately through its real app or a verified number. Explain whether you approved it or someone used the account without permission, and block compromised access or cards as appropriate. Keep the transaction record and messages. Do not approve a TAN or send a password to someone calling to “recover” the money.

The related scams and payment recovery guide explains the separate routes for transfers, SEPA direct debits, cards and payment services. The payment method and authorisation matter; a return does not cancel a valid underlying debt. If you suspect a crime, preserve evidence and report it to police. A report does not replace the bank’s dispute process.

Common mistakes

• Assuming you have no right to any account because you are new, or because a credit check failed. Section 31 still covers consumers lawfully in the European Union, including people without a fixed address. The right is to a basic account, not to every premium product a bank advertises.
• Treating any basic-account refusal as unlawful, or as the end of the process. Ask for the written reasons and review information. The statutory exceptions are limited; an ordinary-account refusal need not precede a Basiskonto application.
• Publishing the IBAN on a housing advert or a social-media post. The account number is enough for someone to attempt a debit. Give it to the employer, the landlord, and offices that have asked for it.
• Assuming every bank charges the same fee. Read the fee information sheet before you apply.