Guide › Moving in Germany: the checklist

Moving in Germany: the checklist

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

59 tasks · General checklist

Contracts and authorities

17 weeks before
Check the notice period: three months to the end of a month
Statutory notice for tenants is three months (§ 573c BGB). Notice must reach the landlord by the third working day of the month, otherwise the next month counts.
14 weeks before
Give written notice on the flat
Written form is mandatory (§ 568 BGB): a signed letter with proof of delivery (registered mail or handover with a receipt).
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
At most three months' net cold rent (§ 551 BGB); payment in three monthly instalments is allowed, the first at the start of the tenancy.
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
Move the contents and liability insurance to the new address
Report the new floor area and address; when moving in together, cancel duplicate policies (special right of termination).
7 days before
Cancel the standing order for the old rent
7 days before
Get the landlord's confirmation of residence (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)
The landlord must confirm the move-in (§ 19 BMG); without it the registration office will not register you.

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 report decides deductions from the deposit.
4 weeks after
Track the return of the deposit
The landlord may usually take up to six months to settle the deposit (Federal Court of Justice case law); part of it may be held back until the service charge statement.

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
At the city's Ordnungsamt or road traffic office, usually one to two weeks ahead; the signs are put up by a service provider or the city.
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 Bürgeramt
Within two weeks of moving in (§ 17 (1) BMG); bring your ID and the landlord's confirmation, appointments are often booked online.
7 days after
Electricity and gas: report the meter reading, choose a supplier
On moving in you are automatically on the default supplier's basic tariff; switching is possible at any time. Photograph the meters on the day you move in and out.
7 days after
Set up mail forwarding with Deutsche Post
Six or twelve months, for everyone in the household; online with a few days' lead time.
7 days after
Update the broadcasting licence fee (Rundfunkbeitrag)
With the Beitragsservice of ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio (rundfunkbeitrag.de): one home, one fee; deregister when moving in together.
10 days after
Re-register school and childcare
Enrol school-age children at the new school promptly (the school authority helps with placement); apply early for a childcare place depending on the municipality.
2 weeks after
Tell the bank, employer and insurers
2 weeks after
Update subscriptions and delivery services
2 weeks after
Update the vehicle registration address
Without undue delay at the registration office (§ 13 FZV); when changing district a new plate is possible but not required.
4 weeks after
Keep the moving receipts for the tax return
Job-related move: flat-rate moving allowance under the BUKG; private move: movers and tradespeople count as household services (§ 35a EStG) — keep invoices and bank transfers, no cash payments.

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.