Abmeldung: How to deregister from Berlin?

What should I know when deregistering my address in Berlin?

  • Unfortunately, there is no possibility to deregister from Berlin online. To complete your deregistration you can either go in person, send the required documents via mail (post) or use our English digital service.
  • Further, you have to follow certain steps and need to understand what registration offices in Berlin ask for in order to process your deregistration request.
  • You have to adhere certain deadlines of the German law.
  • The deregistration form is only available in German.
  • And last but not least, you need a German address in order to receive the deregistration confirmation by mail.

How can I deregister while I am still in Berlin?

Deregister from Berlin in Person

In person: You can easily deregister your residency in Berlin by going to a local registration office (Bürgeramt) and inform them that you are moving abroad. Below this article you will find a list of the respective registration offices in Berlin where you can currently book appointments. To book an appointment, check out their official appointment booking website here.

You will need the following documents for your “Abmeldung” in person

  • your current passport/ ID
  • the respective completed and signed deregistration form (Abmeldeformular) for you + all family members who are to be deregistered (find below this article under documents)

In case you are moving abroad, you will probably be asked about your follow-up address abroad. However, the most important information the registration office asks for is the country that you are moving to.

Once a local registration office in Berlin accepts all required documents, you will receive a deregistration confirmation right away.

Deregister from Berlin by mail

Via mail (post) or email: You can also complete the process by sending the required documents by mail or email (currently only possible at Bürgeramt Steglitz) to one of the registration offices in Berlin – find a list of them below this article.

You will need the following documents for your “Abmeldung” by mail

  • a copy of your passport 
  • passport copies of all family members who are to be deregistered from that address 
  • for children, you may need to provide a birth certificate.
  • the completed deregistration form for you + all family members who are to be deregistered (find below this article under documents)
  • cover letter If you would like somebody else to receive your confirmation, stating that you would like person X to receive your confirmation (without a cover letter, the deregistration confirmation will be sent to the address you are deregistering per default)

Important notes:

  1. Please note that all persons over 18 who are deregistering together must sign the form.
  2. It’s mandatory to use the same signature you used to sign your passport. We occasionally come across the issue that signatures don’t match up. Your signatures must be identical in Germany, or they may not be processed. 
  3. You will not receive a scan of your deregistration confirmation via email, as this is not possible due to data security.

Once a local registration office in Berlin receives all required documents, the registration office will process your deregistration. This usually takes 2-3 weeks. However, currently due to illness and holiday, delays are possible (up to 8 weeks).

If you have not heard from them after 4 weeks, we suggest calling them directly. If no documents are missing, the registration office will send the deregistration confirmation (Abmeldebescheinigung) to the address you are deregistering per default. Hence, it makes sense to indicate a friends’ address where you would like to receive it.

Or you use our service and our German address

How can I deregister if I have already moved?

Deregister from Berlin via Email

By E-Mail: If you wish to deregister from Berlin using email, please note that the process may vary depending on the specific policies of your local Bürgeramt office. While some offices allow for this method, there are a few important considerations to keep in mind:

  1. Confirmation: When deregistering via email, you may not receive a physical confirmation of your Abmeldung, and it might not be sent to your new address abroad.
  2. Office Policies: Different Bürgeramt offices have varying policies regarding Abmeldung by email. These policies dictate whether email deregistration is possible at all and whether they will send the Abmeldebescheinigung (deregistration certificate) by post or email.

You will need the following documents for your “Abmeldung” by E-Mail

  1. Compose an email to the Bürgeramt office where you were previously registered.
  2. Attach the completed and signed Abmeldung form.
  3. Include copies of your passport and visa (if applicable) in the email.

Please keep in mind that not all Bürgeramt locations offer the option to deregister via email, so it’s essential to check with your specific office for their procedure and requirements.

Or you use our service and our German address to deregister from Berlin completely online!

At which registration office (Bürgeramt) can I request my deregistration?

You can request your Abmeldung at the registration office of the city or municipality where you are registered as a primary residence. The easiest way to find your respective registration office is by looking at your registration confirmation.

If you are registered in Berlin with your main residence, you can officially deregister at the registration office of your choice in all Berlin, regardless of your district of residence.

Where to request your deregistration

However, in officially Berlin registration offices prefer you to go to your local registration office in the district of your residential address. Here, you can also deregister your secondary residence, if it is located outside of Berlin.

Who needs to deregister from Germany?

Quick: If you lived in Berlin and registered your residential address there, you must deregister when moving abroad.

In Germany, every resident must have a civil registration of their residence in the city office. The information is stored in the personal records database. It does not matter what nationality you have.

Anybody who has registered a residence in Berlin is required by law to deregister when leaving the country. So if you move out of an apartment, house, or WG in Berlin and don’t move into a new residence within the country, you must deregister. You’ll need to fill out a deregistration form, and you can get it in the registry office or online.

What is the deadline to deregister from Berlin? 

Quick: Latest 14 days after you have left the country.

What is the deadline to deregister from Berlin? 

The German residency law is strict, and you need to deregister from your old address in Berlin within the legal timeframe.

Based on the German “registration law,” you need to deregister between 7 days before and, at the latest, 14 days after you have left the country (Bundesmeldegesetz (BMG) § 17 Abmeldung). You must hand in the completed form at the citizen service of your registered office.

If you forget to deregister and pass the 14 days after your official move-out date, you can potentially get a fine; however, this isn’t very common.

After processing hundreds of deregistrations for clients, we have never encountered a single case.

Nevertheless, we urge you to act responsibly for your good. A fine can cost up to 1000 Euros.

What else should I know about deregistering an address in Germany?

You can find more general information about how to deregister your German residency here.

Main addresses for registration office/ Bürgeramt locations in Berlin:

Bezirksamt Charlottenburg/Wilmersdorf
Bürgeramt Halemweg (Außenstelle)
Halemweg 18 13627 Berlin
Tel.: (030) 9029-25222
Fax: (030) 9029-2522

Fax: 0221 / 221-96343

Bezirksamt Friedrichshain – Kreuzberg
Bürgeramt 1 (Kreuzberg),
Yorckstraße 4-11 10965 Berlin
Tel.: (030) 115
Fax: (030) 90298 – 3165

Bezirksamt Lichtenberg
Bürgeramt 1 (Neu- Hohenschönhausen) Egon-Erwin-Kisch-Straße
Egon-Erwin-Kisch-Straße 106 13059 Berlin
Tel.: (030) 115
Fax: (030) 90296-777819

Bezirksamt Marzahn – Hellersdorf
Bürgeramt Biesdorf – Center
Elsterwerdaer Platz 3 12683 Berlin
Postanschrift
Bürgeramt
12591 Berlin
Tel.: (030) 115
Fax: (030) 90293-5515

Bezirksamt Mitte
Bürgeramt Rathaus Mitte
Karl-Marx-Allee 31 10178 Berlin
Tel.: (030) 115
Fax: (030)9018 23060

Bezirksamt Reinickendorf
Bürgeramt Rathaus Reinickendorf
Eichborndamm 215 13437 Berlin
Tel.: (030) 115
Fax: (030) 90294-2994

Bezirksamt Pankow
Bürgeramt Pankow
Breite Str. 24A – 26 13187 Berlin
Tel.: (030) 115
Fax: (030) 90295-2576

Bezirksamt Spandau
Bürgeramt Spandau – Bürgeramt Rathaus Spandau
Carl-Schurz-Str. 2/6 13597 Berlin
Tel.: 115
Fax: (030) 90279-2828

Bezirksamt Steglitz – Zehlendorf
Bürgeramt Steglitz
Schloßstraße 37 12163 Berlin
Tel.: (030) 115
Fax: (030) 90299-3370

Bezirksamt Tempelhof – Schöneberg
Bürgeramt Schöneberg
John-F.-Kennedy-Platz – 10825 Berlin
Tel.: 115
Fax: (030) 90277-7021

Bezirksamt Treptow – Könighof
Bürgeramt I in Köpenick
Alt-Köpenick 21 12555 Berlin
Tel.: 115
Fax: (030) 90297-2845

Do I need to deregister my residence when I’m moving within Germany?

Quick: No. But you must register your new address in your new town.

Do I need to deregister my residence when I'm moving within Germany?

There is a general obligation to register in Germany, i.e., every person with residence in Germany must be registered there.

You’re obligated to report any living change with the responsible registration office in Germany within one week of moving. Violation of this is considered an administrative offense and can automatically lead to a fine.

The registration office will automatically deregister your old Berlin address from the personal records database and replace it with the new one once you register your new residence. So you won’t need to file a deregistration form, and you’ll find the address change process is relatively simple.

All you need is your new rental agreement and your ID, don’t forget your “Wohnungsgeberbestätigung” (housing provider certificate) and of course your residence permit if you have one.

It’s also possible to keep two residences, which you must indicate on the form.

But beware: Some municipalities and cities charge a second residence tax, which you may have to pay for the secondary residence.