Glossary

A code used to collect a shipment.

The required code depends on the provider and delivery route. A direct-addressed DHL locker parcel and a redirected missed delivery use different collection instructions.

Deregistration when you leave a home without taking a new one in Germany, including a secondary dwelling.

Abmeldung is how you notify the registration office that you have moved out and are not moving into a new home in Germany. Section 17 says to deregister within two weeks after moving out, and no earlier than one week before. If you move to another home in Germany, you normally register the new address instead. If you give up a secondary home without taking a new one, section 21(4) also requires you to notify either the office for that home or the office for your sole or main home, even if you keep your main home.

The Federal Employment Agency, which registers jobseekers and pays unemployment benefit.

The Agentur für Arbeit is the office for job search and for Arbeitslosengeld under Social Code Book III. Register as seeking work at least three months before a job ends, or within three days of learning the end date if fewer than three months remain. That notice is not the same as registering as unemployed. The Jobcenter is a different office.

The General Equal Treatment Act; employment claims have separate deadlines for making a written claim and going to court.

The Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz aims to prevent disadvantage on grounds of race or ethnic origin, sex, religion or belief, disability, age, or sexual identity. You normally need to make your claim for damages or compensation to your employer in writing within two months. An action for employment compensation for non-financial harm must then be brought within three months after that written claim, under section 61b of the Labour Courts Act. The Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency gives counselling; contacting it alone does not preserve these deadlines or file a court action. The guide explains the different triggers and civil-law route.

A type of retirement savings product. Check when it is legally available and what conditions apply. See the related guide for more detail.

The equivalence check for a foreign vocational qualification under federal law.

Anerkennung here means the procedure in the Professional Qualifications Assessment Act for a federal vocational qualification. The competent body compares it with the German training. Regulated professions of the Länder, and university degrees, are not this procedure. Ask the body about fees. Section 6 normally requires a decision within three months of complete documents, with extension and suspension rules.

A recognition partnership with an employer.

An Anerkennungspartnerschaft is a route for pursuing recognition of a foreign professional qualification alongside permitted work with an employer. The residence route has its own conditions and does not replace a required professional licence.

Address registration, normally within two weeks of moving in; temporary-stay exceptions exist.

Anmeldung means registering your home with the registration office (Meldebehörde). Section 17 of the Federal Registration Act normally requires you to do this within two weeks of moving in. Section 27 allows exceptions for temporary stays, including certain stays of up to six months for people already registered in Germany and a three-month rule for people who normally live abroad and are not registered in Germany. Some groups cannot use these temporary-stay exemptions. Section 29 has separate rules for hotels. The linked guide explains which case applies. Registration is not a residence permit.

Authentication under an applicable international treaty.

An Apostille replaces consular legalisation where the relevant treaty applies. Whether a document needs it depends on the issuing country, document and receiving procedure. Confirm the required route with the receiving office before paying.

A full professional licence, including for doctors.

Approbation is a full licence to practise a regulated health profession, such as medicine. The responsible authority checks the qualification and other requirements before issuing it.

Unemployment insurance benefit for people who meet the qualifying conditions.

Arbeitslosengeld under Social Code Book III requires unemployment, registration and a qualifying insurance period, among other conditions. The usual qualifying period is 12 months of unemployment insurance in a 30-month reference period. Qualifying periods can include insured employment, periods of Krankengeld or raising a child under three, and voluntary unemployment insurance, subject to their conditions. The Federal Employment Agency checks the record. The rate is 67 percent of a flat-rate net if a child condition is met, otherwise 60 percent. It is not a percentage of gross pay.

Even with the qualifying period, a Sperrzeit can suspend payment after resignation, a termination agreement or certain breaches of duty without an established important reason. Get advice before resigning or signing; the linked guide explains the conditions.

The certificate that you are unfit for work. Employers usually retrieve statutory sick-note data electronically, with exceptions.

An Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung is proof of unfitness for work. For statutory members, employers usually retrieve the permitted data electronically under section 109 of Social Code Book IV, without the diagnosis. Section 5 of the Continued Remuneration Act keeps paper-proof duties for a Minijob in a private household and assessments by doctors outside contracted statutory care. Illness beginning abroad has additional notification duties. You still tell the employer at once that you are unfit.

The employment contract, and the written record of its main conditions.

An Arbeitsvertrag is a contract for employment as an employee. Section 2 of the Proof of Employment Conditions Act requires the essential conditions to be recorded. A contract that already includes those conditions can replace a separate record. The employment-contract guide explains what must be recorded and the deadlines.

A doctor or physician.

Arzt means doctor; the feminine form is Ärztin. To practise medicine in Germany, you normally need professional permission. The doctors guide explains Approbation and other possible permission.

A temporary residence permit tied to the purpose of the stay.

An Aufenthaltserlaubnis is a temporary residence permit under the Residence Act. Different legal rules apply to renewal, the opportunity card and self-employment. It is not the settlement permit, and it is not the registration certificate from the Meldebehörde.

A residence title for people who are not covered by EU free movement.

An Aufenthaltstitel is a residence title under the Residence Act. The Act does not apply to people whose status is governed by the Free Movement Act, unless another statute says otherwise. The title follows the purpose of the stay. The Meldebescheinigung is not one.

The local foreigners authority that issues most residence titles.

The Ausländerbehörde is the local immigration office. Under section 71 of the Residence Act, it is responsible for residence and passport decisions under that Act. Contact the office for the place where you live. Appointments are arranged locally, rather than through a national list.

A transfer to an account abroad, made through a bank or payment service. See the related guide for the steps, conditions and who to contact.

A requirement to report certain payments under foreign-trade rules. See the related guide for more detail.

Federal training assistance. Higher-education funding is half grant and half loan, with exceptions.

BAföG is federal support for education and training if you meet the conditions in section 8 of the Federal Training Assistance Act and cannot otherwise cover the costs. A study permit under section 16b is not on the list in section 8(2). For study at a Hochschule (higher-education institution), half the monthly amount is a loan, subject to the exceptions in section 17.

A basic payment account a bank must offer an eligible consumer.

A Basiskonto is a basic payment account under the Payment Accounts Act. A complete statutory application starts a deadline of ten business days for the bank’s contract offer or a lawful refusal, not completed account activation. Refusal grounds are limited, for example an already usable account in Germany or legal anti-money-laundering restrictions. Identity checks remain. The bank must supply review information; the bank-account guide links the official BaFin procedure.

A private basic-pension contract, also called a Rürup pension. See the related guide for more detail.

A sworn translator whose status can be checked in the justice database.

A beeidigter Übersetzer is a sworn translator. German authorities generally accept translations by translators sworn or recognised in Germany. Check the receiving office’s requirements and use the justice administrations’ database to search by language or location; do not assume every translation made abroad is unacceptable.

A fixed term in an employment contract, effective only in writing.

A Befristung is a fixed-term employment contract. Section 14 of the Part-Time and Fixed-Term Employment Act says the fixed term is effective only if it is in writing. Without a substantive reason, the ordinary rule allows up to 2 years and at most 3 extensions, generally barring prior employment with the same employer. A collective agreement can vary those caps. The employment-contract guide explains the narrow court-recognised exceptions to the prior-employment bar and the conditions for other routes.

The new-business route allows up to 4 years with multiple extensions during the first 4 years after genuine founding; the prior-employment rule also applies. A worker aged 52 or older at the start can use another route for up to 5 years with multiple extensions after at least 4 months of qualifying joblessness, receipt of Transferkurzarbeitergeld or participation in a publicly funded employment measure under Social Code Book II or III immediately before the contract starts.

A certified copy, distinct from an ordinary scan.

A beglaubigte Kopie is a certified copy. Ask the receiving office whether it accepts one, who may certify it and whether it instead requires the original. A certified copy, a translation and authentication of the original serve different purposes.

A notice left about an attempted postal delivery.

Check the notice for where and when to collect your shipment and what you need to bring. Follow the carrier’s current instructions.

Public help with qualifying out-of-court legal advice and representation.

The legal-aid guide explains the application, financial evidence, possible remaining costs and regional alternatives. Getting advice does not itself stop the deadline in your case.

Vocational training. The residence permit for in-company or school-based training is section 16a, not the study permit.

Berufsausbildung means vocational training. Section 16a of the Residence Act provides a residence permit for initial or further training in a company, and for school-based training that leads to a state-recognised qualification. This is different from the study permit under section 16b. A permit to look for a training place is also separate, under section 17. Section 16a itself does not specify a euro amount. The vocational-training guide explains the 2026 living-cost figures and the limit of 20 hours a week for work unrelated to the training.

A professional driver, for example of a lorry or bus.

A Berufskraftfahrer is a professional driver, for example in goods transport or bus passenger transport. Depending on the journey and vehicle, a licence and a separate professional qualification may be required.

A voluntary private contract about being unable to do your last job. Berufsunfähigkeit is that condition; Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung is the policy.

Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung is a voluntary private contract. Berufsunfähigkeit, in section 172 of the Insurance Contract Act, is being wholly or partly, and expected permanently, unable to do your last job as it was without the health impairment. The contract may add a referral to another suitable activity. BaFin’s brochure states that the policy is voluntary. It is not Krankengeld, and it is not the statutory pension, which uses hours on the general labour market. Ask the insurer about the cost.

A written administrative decision; check how and when to challenge it.

A Bescheid is the written decision an authority sends. Check whether it includes a correct remedy notice. In proceedings governed by the Code of Administrative Court Procedure, an objection under section 70 ordinarily must reach an authorised authority within one month when the instruction is correct. A missing or incorrect instruction normally brings a one-year limit under section 58, subject to its exceptions; it is not extra time after a correct notice. Tax and social-benefit decisions have separate procedural rules. The official-letters guide explains the differences; seek help promptly if a notice is missing or seems wrong.

A visa for a temporary visit, rather than for moving to join family. See the related guide for the steps, conditions and who to contact.

Retirement provision connected with employment.

The company-pension guide distinguishes an employer-funded offer from salary conversion and explains the questions to check before signing or changing jobs.

A works council representing employees in a workplace.

An existing Betriebsrat can be an important contact when employment problems arise. Council involvement does not replace taking the required court action on time.

A workplace pension connected with employment. See the related guide for more detail.

The EU Blue Card, a residence title for qualified work at a minimum salary.

The Blaue Karte EU is the residence title in section 18g of the Residence Act. For 2026 the standard gross minimum is 50,700 euros a year, without Federal Employment Agency approval.

The lower gross minimum is 45.3 percent of the pension-insurance contribution ceiling. For 2026 that is 45,934.20 euros. For a first card it applies only to a listed shortage occupation (Engpassberuf), a higher-education qualification obtained not more than three years before the application, or an eligible IT specialist under section 18g(1), second sentence, or section 18g(2), and it needs Federal Employment Agency approval. For 2027 the thresholds are expected to be about 53,100 and 48,108.60 euros; the official BMI notice, usually issued in December, decides. The job must be for at least six months.

The federal user account for online administration, under the Online Access Act.

BundID is the public name of the federal online account. The Online Access Act describes the citizen account, the organisation account, and the mailbox. A citizen account is voluntary. This guide does not describe a login product beyond the imprint and the Act.

A common local name for the office that handles address registration.

Bürgeramt is the name many cities use for the citizens’ office that handles Anmeldung. The law calls the registration authority the Meldebehörde. Which desk you need to book depends on your city.

The former name of the Jobcenter's basic support, now Grundsicherungsgeld.

Bürgergeld was the name of the basic support in Social Code Book II. Grundsicherungsgeld replaced it from July 2026, with changes to the rules as well as the name. The Jobcenter administers the benefit. The linked guide explains eligibility and points to current official rules.

A residence permit for seeking work, with a skilled-worker route or a statutory points route.

The Chancenkarte, or opportunity card, under section 20a lets you look for work or a recognition measure. There is a route for skilled workers (Fachkräfte) as defined by the Act, and a points route under section 20b. The minimum of 6 points applies to the points route, not the skilled-worker route. Other conditions, including being able to support yourself, still apply.

The search card lasts up to one year and allows employment for an average of no more than 20 hours a week. It also permits trial work of no more than two weeks for qualified work, a trial aimed at training, or a trial suitable for a recognition measure under section 16d. The Foreign Office’s visa handbook describes one trial period per employer; ask the responsible authority how it applies this to your case.

Section 20a does not specify a euro amount for living costs. See the opportunity-card guide for the full conditions.

A semester transport ticket offered by participating institutions. See the related guide for the steps, conditions and who to contact.

The monthly local-transport ticket: 63 euros a month in 2026 and 66.80 euros from 1 January 2027.

The Deutschlandticket is the nationwide local and regional public-transport ticket. The public price is 63 euros a month in 2026 and 66.80 euros a month from 1 January 2027, announced by the Länder transport ministers on 30 September 2026 (Deutsche Bahn’s price notice). It is personal, second class, and generally not valid on IC, EC, ICE, FlixTrain, or FlixBus. A few regional exceptions apply: check Deutsche Bahn’s official validity information or the operator before boarding. Children under six travel free.

A common family name chosen by spouses under the applicable name law.

Ask the Standesamt about the permitted choice and declaration before changing identity documents. The marriage guide covers the ordinary declaration.

A landlord’s genuine housing need for themselves, family or household members; notice and tenant protections still need checking.

Eigenbedarf is a landlord’s genuine need for the home for themselves, family or household members. It can be a legitimate ground for ordinary termination under section 573, but the notice must explain the grounds and satisfy the applicable requirements. Have the notice and any hardship objection checked promptly; personal need does not automatically require immediate departure.

Naturalisation as a German, on the conditions in the Nationality Act.

Einbürgerung under section 10 of the Nationality Act is generally possible after five years, with the language, civic, and livelihood conditions set out in that section. The three-year route in the old section 10(3) is marked repealed. Section 9 is a distinct route for qualifying spouses or registered partners of Germans; repeal of section 10(3) does not abolish every shorter route. The livelihood exception for full-time workers requires current full-time work plus at least 20 full-time months in the last 24. Ask the citizenship authority which conditions apply.

The card for statutory health insurance.

The elektronische Gesundheitskarte is the card for statutory health insurance. Bring it to a doctor.

Parental allowance for the months after a birth.

Elterngeld is the parental allowance in the Federal Parental Allowance Act. It can be paid when you live with the child, care for the child yourself, and ordinarily work no more than 32 hours a week on average in the child’s life-month. Section 1(6) also covers qualifying employment in vocational training and suitable childminding; older births and additional work need a separate check. The separate parental-leave limit still applies to paid training.

For a month without earnings after birth, the starting Basiselterngeld rate in section 2 is 67 percent of statutory net pre-birth work income. If you continue to earn less after birth, the rate applies to the drop, with pre-birth income counted up to 2,770 euros. Below 1,000 euros of pre-birth net income the rate rises, up to 100 percent; above 1,200 euros it falls, to 65 percent. Basiselterngeld is normally at least 300 euros and at most 1,800 euros before applicable offsets and bonuses.

For births from 1 April 2025, section 1(8) ends the claim if taxable income in the calendar year before the birth was more than 175,000 euros. When another person also meets the household test, the two taxable incomes are added. Earlier births follow section 28. Qualifying sole claimants can receive the partner months under section 4c. Relevant maternity-benefit life-months count as Basiselterngeld months for the receiving parent; they are not extra months. The guide explains the conditions, offsets and 210 euro federal-payment exception.

Leave from a job to care for a child, separate from the allowance.

Elternzeit is leave from work under section 15 of the Federal Parental Allowance Act. It runs until the child turns 3, and up to 24 months of it can be taken between the third and eighth birthdays. Notice is normally 7 weeks before an early period and 13 weeks before a later one. For births or adoptive admissions from 1 May 2025, text form such as email is sufficient; earlier children require a written notice with a handwritten signature under the transitional rules.

The weekly work limit is generally 32 hours averaged over the month, or 30 for children born or admitted before 1 September 2021. Section 15(4) exempts the activity of a suitable childminder; for children born or received for adoption before 1 May 2025, the earlier exception preserved by section 28 covers care for at most five children. Check the applicable rules for other work.

Employer dismissal is generally barred from the request, at the earliest eight weeks before leave before age 3 or 14 weeks before leave between ages 3 and 8, and throughout the leave. The competent Land authority can permit dismissal in a special case. Elterngeld and Elternzeit are separate claims.

An occupation in which employers have difficulty filling vacancies.

An Engpassberuf is an occupation where employers have had particular difficulty filling jobs. The Employment Agency measures shortages by occupation and qualification level. Its analysis is separate from the occupational groups used for the EU Blue Card.

Using part of future pay for occupational retirement provision.

Salary conversion affects the employment-linked pension decision. Check the employer’s offer, costs and consequences rather than assuming a tax advantage makes every offer suitable.

A formal declaration refusing an inheritance.

Form, receipt and deadlines matter. Get prompt advice rather than assuming an ordinary email, appointment booking or another relative’s declaration covers you.

An inheritance contract that can contain binding succession arrangements.

Tell the notary or succession lawyer about an existing contract before making a new will. Do not assume a later private note overrides it.

A skilled worker with professional qualifications.

Fachkraft generally means a skilled worker. For some work residence permits, the Residence Act uses a specific definition based on vocational or academic qualifications. The linked guide explains the routes.

A German card proving a professional driver qualification.

The Fahrerqualifizierungsnachweis is a German driver qualification card. It can serve as proof of the professional qualification required for certain goods or passenger transport; a driving licence is a separate document.

A fraudulent online shop; appearance alone does not establish trust.

A Fakeshop is a fraudulent online shop. Copied legal details, logos and trust seals do not establish that a seller is genuine. Check the operator and actual website independently before paying; a Fakeshop checker is an extra check, not a guarantee.

The court handling family-law proceedings such as divorce.

Ask a family lawyer about the competent court, necessary applications and representation. Connected issues may need their own requests.

Family reunification under the Residence Act.

Familiennachzug means family reunification under sections 27, 28, 29, 30 and 32 of the Residence Act. Spouses and unmarried children who are minors are the usual cases; the rules for other relatives are narrower. The family-reunion guide explains the age, language, financial-support and housing requirements, including their legal exceptions. Residence-title fees follow federal rules and any applicable reductions or exemptions. The responsible office can confirm which category applies and how to book a local appointment.

The assessment associated with a Studienkolleg admission route.

Check the course, examination and recognition conditions with the institution you want to attend. Passing the assessment does not guarantee a place on every programme.

The statutory fixed subsidy for standard dental prosthetic treatment, not a share of any bill.

Until 31 December 2026, the Festzuschuss under section 55 of Social Code Book V is 60 percent of the amounts set for standard care, 70 percent with the specified five-year check-up record, and 75 percent with the ten-year record. From 1 January 2027 those shares are 50, 60, and 65 percent, unless the subsidy was approved before that date. A missing 2020 check-up does not remove the bonus, and the insurer can accept one other gap in a justified exceptional case for the ten-year bonus.

A qualifying hardship under section 55 (2), including receipt of Grundsicherungsgeld or BAföG, covers standard care in full, capped at actual cost. If you choose more expensive care, the subsidy is 100 percent of the standard-care amount and you pay the excess. It is not a percentage of an unlimited dentist’s bill.

A certificate of a residence application’s legal effect; check which paragraph applies.

A Fiktionsbescheinigung certifies the legal effect of a residence application under section 81. A timely extension or change application normally continues the existing title and its conditions under section 81(4); a short-stay Schengen visa is excluded.

A valid section 81(4) certificate permits re-entry with a valid passport or passport substitute. A section 81(3) certificate for a lawful stay without a title does not authorise re-entry. A late application does not automatically continue the old title. Neither certificate alone grants the future title or new work permission.

Under the separate section 81(5a) rule, the work specified in the future study/training or work title is allowed once the authority initiates issuance of the residence document, until that document is handed over; the permission must be entered on the certificate. See the renewal guide before work or travel.

The local tax office, which is not the office that first assigns the tax ID.

The Finanzamt is the local tax office. The Federal Central Tax Office assigns the national tax identification number, but the Finanzamt can look it up. You can also ask your local tax office about your tax class and assessment. The tax-return guide explains when employees must file.

A money-transfer service covered by payment-services law. See the related guide for more detail.

The free-movement right of Union citizens to enter and stay.

Freizügigkeit here means the right in the Free Movement Act. Section 2 covers work, job search, self-employment, and services for Union citizens. Economically inactive Union citizens relying on section 4 need sufficient health insurance and sufficient means. That route is separate from jobseekers’ rights, retained worker or self-employed rights under section 2(3), and permanent rights under section 4a. Address registration is still required.

The driving licence. The ordinary six-month rule for third-country licences has a Ukrainian protection exception.

A Führerschein from a non-EU, non-EEA state may normally be used for six months after you take up ordinary residence, with a possible extension of up to six months if the stay will not pass twelve months. Under article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2022/1280, a valid Ukrainian licence held by someone enjoying the temporary protection or adequate protection under national law covered by that regulation remains recognised for that protection, without conversion after six months, a certified translation or an international driving permit. National restrictions on the driving right still apply. Ukrainian nationality alone does not establish that protection status. An EU or EEA exchange follows section 30 and is handed over only against surrender. The linked guide explains the routes; this glossary does not list the countries in Anlage 11.

A certificate of your criminal-register entries, requested through the official online portal or the registration office.

A Führungszeugnis is issued under section 30 of the Federal Central Criminal Register Act. Apply through the official BfJ online portal if you meet its identification requirements, or in person at the Meldebehörde or in writing with a certified signature. An extended certificate needs a statutory basis or work with minors plus a written request. Check the official application guidance for online requirements, the current fee, possible fee waiver and processing information.

An additional guarantee with its own coverage and conditions.

Garantie is an additional promise concerning goods, with its own coverage and conditions. It does not remove your statutory rights against the seller. Check who gives the guarantee and what it covers before relying on it or paying for an extension.

Grad der Behinderung: the assessed degree of disability.

GdB concerns disability recognition and participation limitations. The disability guide distinguishes it from Pflegegrad, employment-insurance benefits and a reduced-earning-capacity pension.

The legally recorded birth surname.

It is distinct from given names and may differ from a married name. Initial registration and a later change are separate workflows.

The birth certificate issued from the birth register.

A Geburtsurkunde contains the child’s names, sex, place and time of birth, and the parents’ names. On request, sex and the parents’ names are omitted. The Standesamt that keeps the entry issues it. Another office can issue it when the data can be sent electronically. Ask the relevant office whether a fee applies.

The monthly earnings ceiling for a Minijob, republished when the minimum wage changes.

The Geringfügigkeitsgrenze is the monthly pay ceiling in section 8 of Social Code Book IV. It is 603 euros a month from 1 January 2026, which is 7,236 euros a year. From 1 January 2027 it is 633 euros a month, which is 7,596 euros a year, at a minimum wage of 14.60 euros an hour. The ceiling is calculated from the minimum wage and republished when that wage changes. Gross pay is what the ceiling tests.

The seller’s statutory liability for defects in goods.

Gewährleistung is the seller’s statutory liability for defects, including relevant non-conformity already present at delivery. It is separate from a voluntary guarantee. Normal wear and damage you cause are not automatically covered.

The notice that you are starting a standing trade.

A Gewerbeanmeldung is the notice you submit under section 14 of the Trade Regulation Act when you start a standing trade. You also give notice when you move the trade, make a non-customary change, change the name or give it up. Freelance work under the Income Tax Act is a different category. Ask your trade office whether a fee applies.

Equal status with severely disabled people in employment, if approved. See the related guide for more detail.

Your assessed degree of disability, usually shortened to GdB. See the related guide for more detail.

The land register. Ownership of land passes when the change is entered.

The Grundbuch is the land register. Under section 873 of the Civil Code, transferring land ownership requires the parties’ agreement and an entry in the register, unless another statute says otherwise. The contract creating the duty to transfer needs a notary. The Land sets the tax rate.

Basic support for jobseekers under Book II, replacing Bürgergeld from July 2026.

Grundsicherungsgeld is the basic support administered by the Jobcenter for people who can work and need help. Eligibility depends on income, assets, and residence rules. It replaced Bürgergeld from July 2026. Unemployment insurance, Arbeitslosengeld, is a separate benefit.

Basic electricity or gas supply at the published household prices.

Grundversorgung is the basic supply duty in section 36 of the Energy Industry Act. The basic supplier in a network area must publish general prices and supply household customers at those prices. The three-month fallback case described in the section is the only exception to an implied contract arising when you use energy.

Skilled trades and crafts.

Handwerk refers to skilled trades and crafts. Working for an employer and running your own craft business involve different checks; some businesses need entry in the craft register.

A regional chamber of crafts.

A Handwerkskammer is a regional chamber of crafts. It can help identify the right craft and explain recognition or craft-register procedures for which it is responsible.

Rules for using a building and its shared areas.

Check the rules applicable to your home alongside local law. The neighbours guide explains how to handle a specific disturbance.

Voluntary insurance for your belongings at home. Hausrat means those belongings; Hausratversicherung is the policy.

Hausratversicherung is voluntary insurance for your belongings at home. Hausrat means those belongings. BaFin describes the usual insured events as fire, storm, hail, water damage and burglary. The policy sets the insured amount, the limits for cash and jewellery, and whether a bicycle outside the home is covered. Under section 75 of the Insurance Contract Act, the payment is reduced proportionately if the insured amount is considerably lower than the value, unless the contract waives that test. This is separate from liability and building insurance. Ask the insurer about the cost.

A midwife providing pregnancy, birth or postpartum care.

A Hebamme is a midwife. Midwives can support pregnancy, childbirth and recovery, including feeding and early care of the baby. Not every midwife offers every service. Confirm the actual arrangement, especially home visits after birth, rather than assuming the hospital has booked them.

A fee for advice or another agreed service.

Honorar means a fee. Before accepting financial advice, obtain its amount, payment conditions and scope in writing. A separate advice fee does not guarantee that a product suits you or remove the product’s own costs; ask what remains payable if you cancel it.

Enrollment at a higher-education institution. It is not a residence title.

Immatrikulation means enrollment at a Hochschule (higher-education institution). Section 45 of the Federal Training Assistance Act uses the term for students enrolled at a state institution when assigning the funding office. The Higher Education Compass lists programmes entered by the institutions. Check enrollment deadlines and semester fees with your institution.

A certificate confirming that you are enrolled at a higher-education institution. See the related guide for the steps, conditions and who to contact.

Residential rent linked by written agreement to the German consumer-price index determined by Destatis.

Check the contract, index values, calculation and increase declaration. Its requirements differ from the local comparison-rent procedure.

Collection of a claimed debt by a collection service.

An Inkasso demand asks you to pay a claimed debt and possibly collection costs. Check the original creditor, contract, payments already made and fees before paying or signing an acknowledgement. A collector’s letter is different from a court payment order; disputing it with the collector does not answer a later court order.

The integration course: German plus orientation, run for the Federal Office.

The Integrationskurs is an integration course under section 43. It combines German lessons aimed at sufficient language skills with an orientation course. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees coordinates it. People entitled to attend normally pay 50 percent of the reimbursement rate.

Under section 9 of the Integration Course Ordinance, eligible Spätaussiedler and specified family members pay no contribution. Others may qualify for an exemption, usually by applying; in certain cases, the office can waive the application. See the linked guide for the rules.

Basic rent, without the operating costs.

Kaltmiete is the basic rent of the home, without operating costs. The deposit cap in section 551 is three times one month of this rent, rather than three times the rent including operating costs. An advert should say which figure it is quoting.

Security for an ordinary residential tenancy, generally capped at three months of rent excluding operating costs.

The Kaution is the security deposit. Section 551 caps a cash deposit at three times one month’s rent without operating costs. You may pay it in three equal monthly instalments: the first is due when the tenancy starts, and the next two with the following rent payments. Investment returns belong to the tenant. In a student or youth residence, the landlord has no duty to pay interest on the deposit. Check the landlord and tenancy before transferring money.

The monthly child benefit paid by the Familienkasse.

Kindergeld under section 66 of the Income Tax Act is 259 euros per child per month. Section 52 allows amendments to change that figure, so rely on the Familienkasse decision. Under section 67, apply electronically unless the Familienkasse accepts a paper application with your handwritten signature. From 1 January 2027 the Familienkasse may dispense with an application when the Federal Central Tax Office notifies it of a birth. You need a tax ID. A local youth-office form is not this benefit.

A tax for members of a religious community entitled to levy it. Land law determines the rate.

Kirchensteuer is based on Article 140 of the Basic Law and Article 137(6) of the Weimar Constitution. These allow religious communities that are public bodies to raise tax based on the civil tax lists. Land law determines the percentage and the office responsible for a church-exit declaration.

A daycare centre for a young child. Care with a childminder is Kindertagespflege, not a Kita.

Kita is the usual name for a daycare centre; the law calls it a Tageseinrichtung. Care with a childminder is called Kindertagespflege. Section 24 of Social Code Book VIII gives a child from age 1 a claim to support in a centre or with a childminder, and from age 3 a claim to a centre until school starts. Fees, application dates and the office that handles applications are local, so check these with your local office.

The small-business rule that can leave turnover outside VAT.

The Kleinunternehmer rule in section 19 of the VAT Act normally requires net domestic turnover, without VAT, to be no more than 25,000 euros in the previous year and 100,000 euros in the current year. The startup-year limit is 25,000 euros on the same net basis. A waiver must be declared by the end of February of the second year after the tax period and binds you for at least five calendar years.

Sickness benefit after the employer’s continued pay ends.

Krankengeld under section 47 of Social Code Book V is generally 70 percent of contributory regular pay, and not more than 90 percent of net pay, and not above net pay.

From 1 January 2027, section 47 (2a), enacted by the Act of 24 July 2026, provides a different calculation after an employment relationship ends during incapacity: from the next day it is 60 percent of net pay. The 67 percent rate refers to the insured person or their spouse or registered life partner having a qualifying child under section 32 (1) and (3) to (5) of the Income Tax Act. The statute also says both spouses or life partners must be subject to unlimited income tax and not live permanently apart. Ask the insurer how the conditions apply, including if you have no spouse or registered life partner.

Continued pay under the Continued Remuneration Act is up to six weeks, and only after four uninterrupted weeks of employment. Those are different payments.

Health insurance, statutory or private.

Krankenversicherung is health insurance, statutory or private. Paid employees and students enrolled at state or state-recognised higher-education institutions are generally subject to statutory insurance under the conditions and exceptions in Social Code Book V. A Minijob alone does not create your own health-insurance cover. If pay rises above the annual earnings ceiling during compulsory insurance, that duty normally ends at the year’s end only if pay also exceeds the next year’s ceiling. Ask the fund to confirm your status and dates before changing cover; a pay rise does not require an immediate move to private insurance.

A hospital delivery room or labor ward.

A Kreißsaal is a hospital delivery room or labor ward where the maternity team cares for people during childbirth. Ask the chosen hospital about registration, its contact number and when to come in. Those arrangements depend on the provider and your care plan.

A termination. Residential tenancy notice must meet the statutory form and notice period.

A Kündigung ends a contract. Deregistering your address does not send a cancellation for you. Ordinary residential notice normally needs the written form (Schriftform) and the notice period in section 573c, with exceptions for special tenancies and terms that favour the tenant. Covered telecom contracts can be cancelled with one month’s notice after silent renewal. Moving gives you a separate, conditional right when the service is not offered at your new address. The leaving guide explains the conditions; initial mobile contract terms do not end automatically.

The cancellation button for covered ongoing consumer contracts online.

The Kündigungsbutton lets a consumer submit cancellation of a covered ongoing paid contract offered through a business’s website. Complete the confirmation step and keep the declaration and electronic receipt. Statutory stricter-form contracts and financial services are excluded. Cancellation ends an ongoing contract at the applicable date; it is different from consumer withdrawal.

Legal protection against dismissal, subject to the applicable rules.

Check the employment guide promptly after receiving a dismissal. General dismissal protection, special protection and the deadline to challenge a dismissal are separate questions.

Shop-opening restrictions: check the applicable Land rules and local exceptions.

Ladenschluss means the legal restrictions on shop opening. The applicable hours and exceptions depend on the Land and the type or location of the shop. Do not treat the federal Shop Closing Act’s clock as a nationwide timetable. Use the linked guide and official federal and Land law services to find the applicable law, then check local exceptions and the shop’s actual hours.

A written record of repeated noise and its effects.

Record dates, start and end times, the type of disturbance and any witnesses. Use it when seeking help about a neighbour dispute.

A direct debit taken from your account by the payment recipient.

A SEPA Core Lastschrift is a direct debit. An authorised debit can generally be refunded within eight weeks of the account debit, and an unauthorised debit within thirteen months. Report unknown payments promptly to the bank. Returning a debit does not cancel a valid underlying debt or terminate the contract.

Consular authentication of a foreign public document.

Legalisation is a consular procedure for confirming the authenticity of a foreign public document. Treaties may replace it with an Apostille or remove the requirement. It does not replace a translation or a qualification-recognition decision.

Wage tax withheld from pay, using a tax class.

Lohnsteuer is the income tax withheld from wages. Section 38b sorts employees into tax classes for that withholding. The class changes the monthly deduction. It is not the final tax for the year, and it is not the Steuer-ID.

A court payment order that needs an urgent response.

A Mahnbescheid is a court payment order, issued without first checking whether the claimed debt is justified. In a German domestic case, a disputed claim should be challenged so the objection reaches the issuing court within the stated two weeks after service. Under section 694 of the Code of Civil Procedure, an objection is still effective after those two weeks until the court has ordered a Vollstreckungsbescheid, so it may not be too late. Keep the letter and service envelope and obtain urgent advice if the period has passed.

The local registration office for the population register.

The Meldebehörde is the office where you register or deregister a home under the Federal Registration Act. Cities often call the same counter the Bürgeramt. Appointment rules depend on your local office.

The certificate that you have registered your current address.

The Meldebescheinigung is the certificate the registration office issues to confirm that you have registered. It is proof of the registered address. It does not replace a residence title.

Official disability markers that relate to particular support or concessions. See the related guide for more detail.

A rent reduction that may apply when a defect materially limits use of the home.

Mietminderung is an appropriate reduction in rent for a defect that materially limits the agreed use of the home under section 536. Limits and exceptions apply. Report the defect promptly, keep evidence and seek tenancy advice before choosing a deduction; an excessive deduction can create rent arrears.

The minimum initial commitment in a contract.

Mindestlaufzeit describes the initial minimum commitment. Record its end date and the notice deadline before subscribing. A right to cancel monthly after a covered automatic renewal does not make the initial term cancellable every month. Contract dates, sector rules and exceptions matter.

A job with special social-insurance rules because its pay normally stays within a monthly earnings limit, or because it is short-term work with set time limits.

A Minijob is what German law calls marginal employment (geringfügige Beschäftigung), defined in section 8 of Social Code Book IV. One form is subject to the monthly Geringfügigkeitsgrenze; the other is short-term employment, subject to time limits and rules on whether the work is carried out professionally. An earnings-limited Minijob generally carries pension insurance unless you request exemption through the employer; qualifying short-term employment is exempt from pension insurance. Neither form by itself provides health-insurance cover. The Minijob-Zentrale explains the insurance differences; the Minijob guide states the current earnings ceiling and adding-up rules.

Qualifying improvement work on a rented building or home.

An announcement of work and a later rent-increase calculation are separate. Ordinary maintenance and different modernisation routes need to be distinguished.

The pregnancy record issued by a doctor or midwife.

The Mutterpass records important health information, examinations and the expected due date during pregnancy. A doctor or midwife issues it. Bring it to care appointments and the birth, and keep it accessible for emergencies. It contains sensitive medical information.

Maternity benefit under the applicable employment and insurance rules.

Mutterschaftsgeld is maternity benefit paid through the health insurer or, for the qualifying federal route, the Federal Office for Social Security. Eligibility and the amount depend on employment and insurance status. It is separate from the employer’s supplement and from Elterngeld; the guide explains their interaction.

Protection periods before and after birth, protection against dismissal, and maternity pay.

Mutterschutz covers the protection periods in the Maternity Protection Act: six weeks before birth unless you expressly agree to work, eight weeks after, and twelve weeks for a premature birth, a multiple birth, or, on application, a child’s disability medically established before the eight weeks end. Medical prematurity needs a doctor’s certificate: birthweight below 2,500 grams, or substantially extended care because of incomplete maturity despite a higher weight. A birth before the due date also adds unused pre-birth protection days. The twelve-week extension does not apply to a stillbirth.

After a miscarriage, section 3(5) provides employment-protection periods of two weeks from the 13th week of pregnancy, six weeks from the 17th, and eight weeks from the 20th. You may expressly agree to work and withdraw that agreement for the future. The related pregnancy and birth guide explains the separate rules.

Employer dismissal is normally barred during pregnancy and through the post-birth protection period, for at least four months after birth; also for four months after a miscarriage after the twelfth week. The employer must know or be told within two weeks after receipt of dismissal. If a delay was not your fault, notify without delay afterwards. The Land authority can exceptionally permit dismissal in a special case unrelated to pregnancy, miscarriage or birth.

Eligible employed statutory members receive up to 13 euros a calendar day from the insurer with an employer supplement where due. Other eligible statutory members can receive the sickness-benefit rate. Eligible employees outside statutory membership can receive up to 210 euros in total through the Federal Office for Social Security; non-membership alone does not qualify.

The buyer’s statutory right to have the seller repair or replace defective goods.

Nacherfüllung is the buyer’s legal right to require the seller to repair or replace defective goods. The buyer normally chooses between the two, but the seller can refuse the chosen option where legally justified. The seller pays the necessary transport, labour and material costs for this remedy.

A request for a postal carrier to investigate a shipment.

Retain the shipment number, tracking and case reference. A carrier investigation is separate from a claim against the seller.

The probate court dealing with estate matters.

Tasks include official will custody and inheritance declarations. Check the competent court and the form needed for your particular step.

A change to a person’s legally recorded name.

The name-change guide distinguishes civil declarations, public-law changes and cross-border questions. Marriage and birth declarations stay with their specific guides.

A formal declaration about a person’s legal name.

The route, consent and certification requirements depend on the circumstances and applicable law. Start with the responsible Standesamt.

Operating costs. Advances are settled once a year.

Nebenkosten are the operating costs a lease can pass to the tenant under section 556. Advances must be reasonable and are settled yearly. The landlord sends the bill by the end of the twelfth month after the accounting period. You have twelve months from receiving it to object.

A settlement permit. The general route normally requires five years; some work routes and routes for family members of Germans are shorter.

The Niederlassungserlaubnis is an unlimited settlement permit. The general section 9 route normally requires five years with a residence permit and 60 months of pension contributions or qualifying comparable provision, plus livelihood, language, civic knowledge, housing and other conditions/exceptions.

Section 18c(1) has a separate skilled-worker route: three years on an eligible title and 36 contribution months, shortened to two years and 24 months after qualifying completion of vocational training or a degree in Germany. Section 18c(2) is specifically for Blue Card holders: 27 months of qualifying employment and contributions with A1 German, or 21 months with B1, plus the other statutory conditions. Family members of Germans should check section 28(2): normally three years with a residence permit, continued family life with the German in Germany, no interest in expulsion and B1 German, subject to the statutory language exceptions and general grant requirements, including normally secured livelihood. That route does not require section 9’s 60 pension-contribution months. These time periods are not interchangeable. The linked guide distinguishes the routes.

A municipal public-order office.

Its responsibilities depend on the locality and the issue. Check which local office handles the particular noise complaint.

Pfändungsschutzkonto: an account with statutory garnishment protection.

The debt guide explains requesting conversion and checking additional protected amounts and evidence. A P-Konto does not cancel the underlying debt.

The German identity card, one of the documents that can identify a SIM subscriber.

The Personalausweis is the German identity card. Section 172 of the Telecommunications Act lists it among the documents a provider may use to check a prepaid mobile subscriber before activation. A passport is the document most newcomers actually hold.

The deposit on a single-use drinks pack, at least 0.25 euro including VAT when the statute applies.

Pfand under section 46 of the VerpackDG is at least 0.25 euro including VAT for covered single-use drinks packs, refunded on return of the empty pack. Volume and specified packaging exceptions apply. Beverage-category exceptions such as milk do not exempt single-use plastic drinks bottles or cans: a 1L plastic milk bottle is not exempt merely because it contains milk. Listed carton formats have a separate exemption. Reusable deposits follow a different system.

A bank account with legal protection against garnishment, also called a P-Konto. See the related guide for more detail.

A qualified nursing professional.

Pflegefachkraft is a general term for a qualified nursing professional. Germany protects the nursing titles Pflegefachfrau and Pflegefachmann. The nursing guide explains recognition and permission to use the title.

The assessed degree of need for long-term care.

A Pflegegrad belongs to the care-benefit assessment. It is different from a degree of disability or the test for a reduced-earning-capacity pension.

A statutory care-insurance fund linked to a health-insurance fund. See the related guide for more detail.

Long-term care insurance, distinct from health insurance.

The care guide explains where to request benefits, prepare for an assessment and obtain care advice. Insurance membership does not by itself establish a particular benefit entitlement.

An internship required by your study or training programme. See the related guide for the steps, conditions and who to contact.

A protected monetary inheritance claim of eligible close family members.

Excluding someone in a will does not necessarily remove this claim. The family facts and applicable inheritance law need checking.

Impersonation used to obtain credentials, payment details or approvals.

Phishing uses messages or fake pages impersonating a trusted organisation to obtain credentials, payment details or approvals. Open the known app or official website independently instead of following an unexpected login or payment link. If you entered bank credentials on a fake page, contact the bank immediately.

Authorisation for another person to receive specified postal deliveries.

Collection and authorisation requirements depend on the provider and delivery product. The parcel guide explains what to check before asking someone to collect for you.

A private pension-insurance contract to provide for retirement. See the related guide for more detail.

A voluntary private liability policy. It is a contract, not a registration.

Privathaftpflicht is voluntary personal liability insurance. It may pay a claim for damages under section 823 of the Civil Code and, under section 100 of the Insurance Contract Act, defend you against an unfounded claim. You need to arrange it separately; registering your address does not create it. It is not the compulsory motor policy. Work, business, dog and horse risks may need separate cover, though some contracts include limited exceptions. Check the terms and ask the insurer about your situation and the cost.

Agreed probation; the statutory two-week notice rule applies for at most six months.

Probezeit is an agreed probation period. Under section 622(3) of the Civil Code, the statutory two-week notice rule applies during agreed probation for at most six months. This limits that shortened-notice rule; it does not establish a universal maximum length for every probation arrangement. Section 622(4) allows collective-agreement deviations, and a contract can provide longer notice. Check the applicable agreement. Vocational training has its own probation rule in BBiG section 20, and agreed probation in a fixed-term job must satisfy TzBfG section 15(3).

A sales commission associated with a financial product.

Provision means a sales commission. A consultation advertised as free may lead to a product whose price includes it. Ask who pays the adviser, what all charges are and whether remuneration depends on signing or keeping the product.

Financial help for qualifying court proceedings.

Court cost aid is different from out-of-court Beratungshilfe. Read the legal-aid guide for the application, remaining cost risks and financial-reporting duties.

Outpatient psychotherapy in the statutory scheme, usually starting with an initial consultation.

Psychotherapie in the statutory scheme usually starts with an initial consultation (Sprechstunde). G-BA describes an exception after discharge from inpatient or rehabilitation treatment necessary because of mental illness; KBV also describes a therapist change during ongoing therapy. No referral is required. For 116117 to arrange acute treatment, a PTV 11 recommending it is normally needed; ask the service about the qualifying discharge route. The service has one week to arrange an acute appointment at most two further weeks away; a hospital fallback has a further week. Acute treatment for adults is up to 24 units of at least 25 minutes, 600 minutes in all per treatment case (four quarters). For children, adolescents and people with intellectual disabilities, up to 30 units or 750 minutes are possible when caregivers participate. The practice notifies the insurer; no prior application is needed. This does not guarantee a full therapy place within that time.

A voluntary contract for legal costs within the agreed cover.

Rechtsschutzversicherung is voluntary insurance that pays legal costs in the areas and circumstances covered by the policy. Ordinary policies generally cover future disputes rather than an existing cause, though some specialist offers describe limited help for an existing matter under particular terms. Section 2 of the Insurance Contract Act allows agreed cover to begin before the contract.

Check the linked guide and ask the insurer for written confirmation before assuming your case qualifies. A policy does not extend a deadline on an official decision. Defending a damages claim against you is a matter for liability insurance, not this policy. Ask the insurer about the cost.

The statutory pension, including when your own contributions can be refunded.

Rente here means the statutory pension in Social Code Book VI. The ordinary waiting period is 5 years. The standard pension age is 67 for people born in 1964 or later. A refund of your own contributions exists only in the cases section 210 lists. The wait of 24 calendar months without new compulsory insurance applies to the no-compulsory-insurance / no-voluntary-insurance route and to subsection 1a, but not to the standard-age or survivor routes. The pension page states those limits. Deregistration does not file the refund.

Discharge of qualifying remaining debts through the insolvency procedure.

The insolvency guide explains the process, your duties and the exclusions. Discharge does not automatically cancel every debt just because you cannot pay it now.

A way to save for retirement with state support, if you meet the conditions. See the related guide for more detail.

The surrender value when ending a relevant insurance contract early.

Rückkaufswert is the surrender value relevant to ending certain insurance contracts early. Ask for that value and the other exit costs before signing or cancelling. Do not assume that ending a contract returns all contributions paid.

Quiet periods under applicable local rules or house rules.

Check the rules for your location and tenancy before relying on a quiet-hours claim. The neighbours guide explains how to keep evidence, talk to your neighbours and make a proportionate complaint.

The broadcasting contribution: 18.36 euros a month per dwelling.

The Rundfunkbeitrag is the broadcasting contribution. The contribution service states a fee of 18.36 euros a month per private dwelling, regardless of whether you use a television. The KEF recommends 18.64 euros a month from 2027, but the Länder have not adopted that increase, so it is not decided. You must apply for an exemption, including an exemption for a secondary home.

Divorce: the legal dissolution of a marriage.

Separation, divorce proceedings and residence after separation are different questions. The divorce guide explains where to start and when to seek individual legal help.

A visa for an eligible short stay in the Schengen area. See the related guide for the steps, conditions and who to contact.

A private credit record. The free copy of your own data is a GDPR right, and SCHUFA charges no fee for it.

SCHUFA is a private credit record a landlord may ask to see. SCHUFA says the free Datenkopie meets the right of access in Article 15 of the General Data Protection Regulation, and that SCHUFA charges no fee for it. SCHUFA publishes twelve criteria for its new score. Companies are switching to it through the end of 2028 and may still use older models in the meantime. The guide explains the new model’s factors.

Advice on dealing with debts and available debt-resolution routes.

Prepare creditor letters, income, expenses and account information for debt advice. The insolvency guide explains how to find appropriate help and distinguish urgent account protection from longer-term debt relief.

Compulsory school attendance, organised by the Länder.

Schulpflicht means compulsory schooling. Each Land organises it and sets rules on the cut-off birthday, the length of full-time schooling, school fees and school types. See the school guide for more about these local differences.

Prenatal examinations and counseling during pregnancy.

Schwangerschaftsvorsorge is prenatal care: examinations and counseling to follow the pregnant person’s health and the baby’s development. A doctor or midwife can provide much of this care; ultrasound examinations are performed by a doctor. Examinations are voluntary, with informed choices discussed with the care team.

An identity document for recognised severe-disability status.

Use the disability-status guide to find the competent authority, prepare evidence and understand recognition and relevant markers. Do not treat the card as a care assessment or insurance payout.

A contribution your institution charges for a semester. See the related guide for the steps, conditions and who to contact.

A declaration of joint parental custody by unmarried parents.

A Sorgeerklärung is the formal declaration for joint parental custody by parents who are not married to each other. It is separate from acknowledgment of paternity and can be made before birth, for example at the Jugendamt. Ask the office about the required process and evidence.

A blocked account used to show funds for a study stay.

A Sperrkonto is a blocked account. It is one way to show that you have enough money to live on while studying. Under section 2 (3) of the Residence Act, your living costs are considered covered for a section 16b study permit when your monthly funds reach the amount set by sections 13 and 13a (1) of the Federal Training Assistance Act.

The Federal Ministry of the Interior publishes the amount each year. Its notices for 2026 and 2027 give a standard amount of 992 euros a month for section 16b. A blocked account is usually opened for a year, so the full standard amount for twelve months is 11,904 euros. Both notices reduce the amount you need to show by the difference if you can prove that your rent and related housing costs are below 380 euros a month.

Before putting money into an account, confirm the amount and the evidence needed with the responsible mission or authority. A scholarship or Verpflichtungserklärung can also show that you have the funds. These published amounts apply nationally; they are not a city fee.

Rent with specified increases agreed for future stages.

Check the written amounts and dates. This route differs from a landlord’s request to increase rent towards the local comparison rent.

The civil registry office for marriage and for registering a birth.

The Standesamt performs a marriage and keeps the birth register for a child born in its district. Any German Standesamt can perform the marriage. The registration of the intention is filed where one partner lives, unless neither lives in Germany. A live birth is reported within one week to the office of the place of birth: the hospital or another section 20 institution reports in writing; otherwise a parent with custody reports. Parents must still supply information the institution cannot give. A stillbirth has the shorter deadline of the third Werktag after the birth.

A civil-register death certificate.

The death guide distinguishes the medical confirmation of death from civil registration and the certificate needed for subsequent notifications. Ask each receiving body which copy or proof it requires.

The 11-digit tax identification number, assigned once.

The Steuer-ID is the Identifikationsnummer in section 139b of the Fiscal Code. It has 11 digits, is issued once, and does not change when you move. Registered residents ordinarily receive it by letter from the Federal Central Tax Office. Some employees outside the registration system can use the tax-office route under section 39 of the Income Tax Act; the tax-ID guide explains the distinction.

The income-tax return filed with the Finanzamt.

A Steuererklärung is an income-tax return. Section 46 of the Income Tax Act sets out when employees must be assessed and when filing is voluntary. The deadlines are in section 149 of the Fiscal Code. The tax-return guide explains these cases and the national dates.

The wage-tax class that sets how much tax is withheld each month.

A Steuerklasse sets individual monthly wage-tax withholding. Under section 38b, spouses who are both fully tax-liable and not permanently separated default to IV unless they request III/V. Class VI applies to a second or further individually taxed job. An eligible flat-taxed Minijob does not use a tax class for that pay. The class changes withholding, not the final household tax.

Preparatory study for certain university-admission routes.

Ask the intended university which qualification route applies and whether a Studienkolleg is required or accepted. Admission, assessment and progression are institution-specific; residence permission is a separate question.

A will setting out wishes for succession after death.

The inheritance guide explains the need for a valid form, appropriate custody and advice about cross-border circumstances. Planning a will is separate from responding to an inheritance after a death.

The keeper of an animal, who owes species-appropriate care and may owe damages.

A Tierhalter must feed, care for and house an animal according to its species and needs. If the animal injures someone or damages property, section 833 requires compensation, with a care exception only for a domestic animal kept for a profession, gainful work or subsistence. Check any local rules on dog tax and leashes, as well as the animal-import health timelines that apply to you.

Medical documentation confirming a death.

It is different from the civil death certificate, Sterbeurkunde. Ask the doctor or institution what has been arranged and the Standesamt what evidence it needs.

The separation year relevant to the ordinary German divorce route.

Separation, consent, proof of breakdown and exceptional hardship must be considered together. The year is not a reason to delay protection from violence.

A move to another home in Germany, registered as a new Anmeldung.

Ummeldung is the everyday name for registering a new home after moving within Germany. Section 17 of the Federal Registration Act calls this an Anmeldung and normally gives you two weeks. It is different from the Abmeldung used when you leave Germany.

Section 27 has exceptions for temporary stays, and section 22 has rules on a family’s main home. The linked guide explains how the rules can differ for an additional home.

Subletting rented housing to another person; permission and the qualified partial-subletting right need checking.

Untervermietung means subletting rented housing to another person. Obtain the landlord’s permission before subletting. Under section 553, a legitimate interest arising after the contract can give a right to permission for part of the home, subject to refusal grounds and possibly an appropriate rent increase. This does not automatically cover the whole flat or tourist lets.

Keeping a qualifying workplace pension entitlement after leaving a job. See the related guide for more detail.

A formal acknowledgment of paternity.

Vaterschaftsanerkennung is a formal acknowledgment of paternity where that route applies. It normally requires the mother’s consent, unless she has died. The child’s consent is also required; the statutory rules determine who gives it and when it is deemed to have been given. Sections 1595 and 1596 of the Civil Code set the consent and representation rules. Section 1594 permits acknowledgment before birth. It does not itself create joint parental responsibility; section 1626a governs that separate matter. Ask the competent office about your family’s circumstances.

The consumer insolvency process for people who meet its legal conditions. See the related guide for more detail.

The term used for cost aid in family and certain other proceedings.

The legal-aid guide explains how this relates to Prozesskostenhilfe. A family proceeding and its underlying deadlines still need their own appropriate response.

A formal commitment to cover specified costs of another person’s stay.

A host’s Verpflichtungserklärung is different from an informal invitation. Read the visitor guide before signing so you understand the authority’s financial assessment and the liability involved.

Adjustment of pension entitlements connected with divorce.

It concerns pension rights from the legally defined marriage period. The divorce guide explains the separate process and where to ask about exceptions.

An adult education centre, often shortened to VHS.

A Volkshochschule, or VHS, is an adult education centre. Its programme can include German courses, as the Berlin VHS course overview shows. See the linked guide for help finding a course and checking its level, timetable and booking conditions.

An enforceable court order with its own urgent objection route.

A Vollstreckungsbescheid can follow a court payment order and can be enforced. Its separate remedy is Einspruch, ordinarily due at the court within two weeks of service in a domestic case. An objection does not automatically stop enforcement; seek urgent legal help about the response and any application to suspend enforcement.

Rent including operating costs such as heating and water.

Warmmiete is the rent including Nebenkosten such as water, heating, waste, and a caretaker. Electricity and gas are often still separate. The deposit is calculated using basic rent, excluding operating costs.

The rate at which one currency is exchanged for another. See the related guide for more detail.

A working student whose social-insurance classification needs checking.

The student-jobs guide separates the employer/insurer assessment from Minijob rules and immigration permission. A job title alone does not settle those questions.

The social-insurance rules for qualifying work alongside your studies. See the related guide for the steps, conditions and who to contact.

The 14-day right to withdraw from a distance or off-premises consumer contract.

Widerrufsrecht is the right under section 355 to withdraw within 14 days without giving a reason. Sending your withdrawal in time is enough. Section 312g gives this right for distance and off-premises contracts and lists exceptions, including custom goods and sealed goods unsuitable for return for health or hygiene reasons once unsealed. If the required information was missing, the right expires at the latest after 12 months and 14 days, subject to the statutory exception for financial services.

The period of recovery and support after giving birth.

Wochenbett is the recovery period after birth, when support focuses on the mother’s recovery and the newborn’s care. It is distinct from statutory maternity-protection periods and the rules for insurance-funded midwife services. Arrange follow-up care with the maternity team.

Insurance for a building. It is not required by law.

Wohngebäudeversicherung insures the building and things fixed to it. BaFin says it is not required by law, though a property loan usually requires it. The policy sets out which risks are covered and the insured amount. It is separate from contents insurance. Ask the insurer about the cost.

A housing allowance for tenants or owners who qualify, with no national euro amount.

Wohngeld is a subsidy under the Housing Allowance Act towards rent or the costs of an owner-occupied home. If several household members qualify, only one person claims it. People receiving Grundsicherungsgeld (formerly Bürgergeld) are generally excluded when their housing costs were already counted, subject to legal exceptions and the position of other household members. The amount is decided when you apply.

Confirmation of moving in from the housing provider or a person they authorise.

The Wohnungsgeberbestätigung required by section 19 of the Federal Registration Act comes from the housing provider or a person they authorise. A main tenant who sublets can be the housing provider; the provider need not be the property owner. It gives the provider’s name and address, the owner’s name if different, the move-in date, the dwelling’s address and the names of the people required to register. The housing provider must ensure confirmation within the registration period, ordinarily two weeks.

A voluntary private contract beside the statutory dental subsidy.

Zahnzusatzversicherung is voluntary private insurance for dental costs the statutory scheme does not pay. It does not change the Festzuschuss shares in section 55 of Social Code Book V. What the policy pays, and any waiting period, depend on its terms. Ask the insurer about the cost.

The vehicle registration certificate. Part I is normally carried in the vehicle; eligible online registrations have temporary alternatives.

The Zulassungsbescheinigung is issued when a vehicle is registered. Normally the driver must carry part I and hand it over on request. For eligible online registrations, a temporary registration decision can serve instead under specific document, plate and time-limit conditions; see the car-registration guide. Registration also needs compulsory liability insurance. Ask the relevant office whether a fee applies.