Guide › Moving in Austria: the checklist

Moving in Austria: the checklist

The general list plus what comes on top in this country: deadlines, offices and customs.

58 tasks · General checklist

Contracts and authorities

17 weeks before
Check the notice period: fixed term after one year with three months, open-ended usually one month
Fixed-term leases: at the earliest after one year with three months' notice (§ 29 MRG); open-ended: usually one month to month end (§ 560 ABGB). The contract decides.
14 weeks before
Give written notice on the flat, by registered mail
Signed notice with proof of delivery; court notices (§ 33 MRG) follow their own rules.
13 weeks before
Arrange viewings for the next tenant
11 weeks before
Sign the new lease
10 weeks before
Pay the deposit and the first month's rent
Three months' gross rent is customary; the deposit must be invested and returned with interest (§ 16b MRG).
9 weeks before
Arrange the handover date for the old flat
6 weeks before
Cancel internet and TV contracts
6 weeks before
Book a van for the cellar and small items
4 weeks before
Book time off for moving day
3 weeks before
Draw up the list of address changes
2 weeks before
Update the household and liability insurance
Report the new floor area; cancel duplicate policies when moving in together.
7 days before
Cancel the standing order for the old rent

Packing and decluttering

5 weeks before
Get moving boxes
5 weeks before
Get packing material
4 weeks before
Set a decluttering day per room
3 weeks before
Move the cellar and attic ahead of time
2 weeks before
Pack seasonal and rarely used things
10 days before
Pack the workspace
5 days before
Pack the kitchen, defrost the fridge
2 days before
Pack the first-night box
2 days before
Keep the toolbox separate

Old home

9 weeks before
Declutter: sell, give away, dispose
6 weeks before
Clear out the cellar and attic
4 weeks before
Book a bulky waste collection
7 days before
Factory-reset the smart home devices
1 day before
Read and photograph the meters
7 days after
Clean the old place for the handover
10 days after
Sign the handover report: meter readings, keys, defects
Both parties sign, attach photos — the basis for the deposit.
4 weeks after
Track the return of the deposit
Without delay after handing the flat back (§ 16b (2) MRG), minus justified claims; disputes go to the arbitration board.

New home

9 weeks before
Key handover and move-in inspection
6 weeks before
Book the electrician and tradespeople
6 weeks before
Check mounting points: shower rail, lamps, curtains
4 weeks before
Order the internet connection
4 weeks before
Decide what to buy new
2 weeks before
Draw a furniture plan per room, take measurements
7 days before
Test the internet connection
1 day after
Record and report defects on moving in
3 days after
Label the doorbell and letterbox
7 days after
Set the smart home up again
7 days after
Meet the neighbours and the property manager

Moving day

13 weeks before
Fix the moving date
9 weeks before
Book the moving company
2 weeks before
Apply for a temporary no-parking zone for the removal van
With the municipality or the Magistrat (Vienna: MA 46), one to two weeks ahead, chargeable.
2 weeks before
Reserve the lift at both addresses
10 days before
Arrange care for children and pets
3 days before
Move the plants separately
3 days before
Plan bikes and bulky items separately
On moving day
Food and drink for the helpers
On moving day
Final walk-through of the old flat

After the move

3 days after
Register your residence at the registration office (Meldezettel)
Within three days of moving in (§ 3 MeldeG); have the landlord sign the Meldezettel; deregistration happens in the same step.
7 days after
Switch electricity and gas over: meter reading on handover day
With the grid operator and supplier; compare suppliers with the E-Control tariff calculator.
7 days after
Set up mail forwarding with Österreichische Post
post.at; three to twelve months.
7 days after
ORF licence fee (ORF-Beitrag): check the address
Since 2024 per main residence (ORF-Beitrags-Gesetz); the OBS takes the address from the register — deregister one fee when moving in together.
7 days after
Update the vehicle registration at the registration office
Within one week of changing residence (§ 42 KFG); a change of district means a new plate.
10 days after
Re-register school and kindergarten
The catchment school follows the address; register the transfer at the new school, kindergarten with the municipality.
2 weeks after
Tell the bank, employer and insurers
2 weeks after
Update subscriptions and delivery services
2 weeks after
Check the address in FinanzOnline and for the family allowance
Usually taken from the register; the family allowance and tax notices need the right address.

In the app: when setting up the move or under Tasks → Template. Everything can be deselected; a template is a suggestion.

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The checklists in this guide are compiled with care, but without guarantee of completeness or currency. Deadlines and responsibilities change. The information of the respective authority or contracting party is authoritative.