Part of the topic: 💶 Taxes & salary
Moving to Germany: the money & paperwork checklist
Moving to Germany comes with a fixed order of paperwork – and several steps depend on each other. This checklist covers the money side: what to do in your first weeks so that your salary, insurance and taxes work from day one.
1. Register your address (Anmeldung) within two weeks
You must register at the local registration office (Bürgeramt) within two weeks of moving in. You need your passport and a confirmation from your landlord (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung). The registration certificate is required for almost everything else.
2. Wait for your tax ID
After registration, the Federal Central Tax Office sends your tax identification number (Steuer-ID) by post, usually within a few weeks. Your employer needs it; without it, wage tax is withheld at the highest class VI.
3. Open a bank account
Salary, rent and insurance are paid by SEPA transfer or direct debit. Online banks often open accounts within days; check the IBAN format with our free IBAN checker.
4. Choose a health insurer
Health insurance is compulsory. Employees below the income threshold join a statutory insurer of their choice – compare the additional contribution rates, as they differ by more than two percentage points.
5. Understand your payslip
Your gross salary is reduced by wage tax, solidarity surcharge (only for high incomes), church tax (if registered as a member) and social insurance. Our salary calculator shows your net pay by tax class.
6. Married? Check your tax class
Married couples get tax class IV/IV by default; if incomes differ a lot, III/V can mean more net pay each month.
7. Get liability insurance and plan transport
Private liability insurance (Haftpflichtversicherung) is not compulsory but very common and cheap. For commuting, the Deutschlandticket covers all local public transport.
Keep a folder with your registration certificate, rental contract, employment contract and insurance letters – you will need them again and again in the first year.
Calculate your German net salary →