Landlord Confirmation: Obligation, Deadline, Content, and Free Template
EverReal Editorial Team. The same leasing technology chosen by 450+ real estate companies. Last updated: October 2026.
Problem: Moving in triggers a deadline within which the landlord must issue the landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung). Cause: The obligation is set out in the Federal Act on Registration (Bundesmeldegesetz) and arises when the lease agreement and handover already seem completed. Thesis: Four mandatory details on a single sheet, due two weeks after moving in. If the sheet is prepared for the handover, the deadline can easily be met.
What is a landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung), and who must issue it?
The landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung), also referred to as a Wohnungsgeberbescheinigung or Vermieterbescheinigung, confirms a person's move into an apartment. It must be issued by the housing provider (Wohnungsgeber), such as the landlord, pursuant to Section 19 of the Federal Act on Registration (Bundesmeldegesetz - BMG), within two weeks of moving in. The lease agreement does not replace it. Failure to do so constitutes an administrative offense subject to a fine of up to 1,000 euros.
Who is considered a housing provider, which deadline applies, and when is a fine threatened?
The obligation falls upon the housing provider. According to the General Administrative Regulation for the Implementation of the Federal Act on Registration, this is whoever actually provides an apartment to another person for use: for example, the owner who leases it, or the person authorized by them to manage the leasing, or in the case of a sublease, the main tenant. Under Section 19 BMG, the confirmation may "only be issued by the housing provider or a person authorized by them".
The deadline is stated in Section 17 BMG: "Anyone who moves into an apartment must register with the registration authority within two weeks of moving in." Section 19 Paragraph 1 requires confirming the move-in within this deadline, in writing (with a signature according to the administrative regulation) or electronically to the registration authority according to Paragraph 4. In the electronic procedure, the housing provider receives an allocation identifier from the registration authority and provides it to the person moving in for their registration. You can find out which option your registration authority offers directly from them. You can also inquire with the registration authority whether your tenant has registered.
The confirmation pertains to moving in. For moving out, Section 19 does not specify a confirmation by the housing provider; deregistration under Section 17 Paragraph 2 only applies to individuals who move out and do not take up a new residence within Germany.
Anyone who fails to confirm the move-in, confirms it incorrectly, or confirms it late commits an administrative offense under Section 54 BMG, even in cases of negligence. The fine can be up to 1,000 euros, which also applies to issuing a confirmation without authorization. A second figure, up to 50,000 euros, is outlined in the same provision and applies to a different situation: offering a residential address for registration even though no one is moving in or intending to move in (Section 19 Paragraph 6).
If the confirmation is missing, the person moving in must notify the registration authority immediately pursuant to Section 19 Paragraph 2. According to the administrative regulation, the registration authority will still process the registration if the move-in has actually taken place, and the confirmation must be submitted later.
If you are a tenant and the confirmation is missing, send your landlord the link to this template and register within the two weeks anyway.
The four mandatory details of the landlord confirmation under Section 19 BMG
Section 19 Paragraph 3 BMG lists four details. Anyone finding more is simply counting fields on a form. The confirmation contains:
Name and address of the housing provider, "and if they are not the owner, also the name of the owner". This refers to the housing provider's address; the apartment's address is listed under item 3.
Move-in date. The day on which the person actually moves in. The start date of the lease may differ from this.
Address of the apartment. The sample in the administrative regulation provides additional details for this, such as floor or apartment number.
Names of the persons subject to registration. Persons under the age of 16 must also be specified according to the administrative regulation, as they are likewise subject to the registration requirement.
Date and signature are not included in the statutory list. However, the administrative regulation requires written confirmation with a signature.
Template: Landlord confirmation to copy and fill out
Section 19 does not prescribe a standard form, only the content and written form. This template contains the four details in the statutory order, plus a signature and a field for an authorized representative, as also provided by the sample in the administrative regulation (Annex 3). Copy the text into a document, fill it out, print it, and sign it. You must hand over the signed document; you can keep a copy as a PDF for your records.
Landlord Confirmation pursuant to Section 19 Federal Act on Registration (BMG) For submission to the registration authority Housing provider: [First and last name or organization name], [Street and house number], [Postal code and city] Owner of the apartment: ["The housing provider is the owner" or first and last name or organization name of the owner; if there are multiple owners, list all] Move-in date: [Day, Month, Year] Address of the apartment: [Street and house number], [Postal code and city], [Details such as floor or apartment number] Persons moved in: [First and last name, one line per person, including persons under 16 years of age] It is hereby confirmed that the above-mentioned persons moved into the above-mentioned apartment. The details correspond to the facts. [City, Date] [Signature of the housing provider] Only if an authorized person issues the confirmation: [First and last name or organization name, address], [City, Date], [Signature of the authorized person] Notice: "It is prohibited to offer or make available a residential address to a third party for registration pursuant to Section 17 Paragraph 1, even though an actual move into the apartment by a third party neither takes place nor is intended." (Section 19 Paragraph 6 BMG) A violation can be punished with an administrative fine of up to 50,000 euros (Section 54 BMG). Anyone who fails to confirm the move-in, confirms it incorrectly or late, or issues the confirmation without authorization commits an administrative offense (up to 1,000 euros).
Sample: This is what the completed landlord confirmation looks like.
Housing provider: Max Mustermann, Beispielweg 1, 12345 Musterstadt Owner: The housing provider is the owner. Move-in date: 15.01.2027 Address of the apartment: Musterstraße 5, 12345 Musterstadt, 2nd floor left Persons moved in: Erika Beispiel, Jonas Beispiel
If your registration authority provides its own form, you can use that instead. The sheet contains names and addresses, meaning personal data: hand it over to the tenant in person or via a secure channel that only the two of you can access.
Prepare the confirmation for the key handover
Your address and the address of the apartment are in the lease agreement; what details the contract should include is shown in Lease agreement template to copy: Mandatory contents. During the apartment handover, you verify the names of all persons moving in, including children, and the move-in date. You enter the move-in date as soon as the person has actually moved in. The two-week deadline begins upon moving in. Pursuant to Section 19 Paragraph 1, the person moving in must provide you with the information you need for the confirmation.
Enter the actual move-in date
Section 19 Paragraph 3 requires the move-in date. If the lease starts on the first of the month and the person moves in the following weekend, the actual day of moving in applies. Ask for the specific day before filling out the form. If the date the person moving in provides to the registration authority differs from yours, the administrative regulation generally dictates that their date be recorded in the population register.
Write your own address and, if different, the owner's details on the sheet
The first detail refers to the housing provider's address; the apartment itself is listed separately under the third item. If you are not the owner yourself, the owner's name must also be included. In the case of multiple owners, the sample in the administrative regulation provides lines for additional owners.
If you delegate the issuance, only do so with an explicit authorization
Pursuant to Section 19 Paragraph 1, only the housing provider or an authorized representative may issue the confirmation. If a property management company or a relative handles it for you, record this authorization in writing. The sample in the administrative regulation includes a dedicated name and signature field for the authorized representative, as does the template above. Under the administrative regulation, property management companies generally act as authorized agents of the owner.
Check special cases: Subletting, subsequent tenants, multiple persons
In the case of a sublease, the main tenant is the housing provider and issues the confirmation for the subtenant. When you must consent to a sublease is explained in Subletting: when you must consent, and when you may refuse. If a subsequent tenant moves in, the same procedure applies to their move-in. A single sheet can list all individuals moving in.
Conclusion: Issue the landlord confirmation before the deadline expires
The landlord confirmation is a single-page document with four details and a signature, due within two weeks of moving in. It belongs to Step 9, the handover, in the leasing process; all steps are detailed in Renting out an apartment: the complete process.
The next rental process begins with the listing. EverReal Go! is your digital assistant for leasing. Listings, inquiries, viewing appointments, and applicant data are kept in one place. The template above is free to use, without an account and without an email address.
Legal disclaimer. We do not provide legal advice. For specific legal inquiries, an attorney specializing in tenancy and residential property law or your local property owners' association, such as Haus & Grund, can assist you.
Legal status. October 2026, according to the statutory text on gesetze-im-internet.de (accessed on 14/10/2026) and the administrative regulation on the Federal Act on Registration in the revised version of 2022.
Sources.
Federal Act on Registration (BMG), gesetze-im-internet.de, accessed on 14/10/2026: Section 17 Registration, Deregistration, Section 19 Cooperation of the Housing Provider, Section 54 Provisions on Fines
General Administrative Regulation for the Implementation of the Federal Act on Registration, revised version of 27 September 2022 (BAnz AT 07.10.2022 B2): Numbers 19.0, 19.1, 19.1.1, 19.3, 19.4, 23.0.1, and 23.0.1.1 as well as Annex 3 (Sample of the Landlord Confirmation)
Draft of the revised version: General Administrative Regulation for the Revision of the General Administrative Regulation for the Implementation of the Federal Act on Registration, Bundesrat printed paper 249/22, approval by the Bundesrat on 08/07/2022 (Resolution)
450+ real estate companies: EverReal internal data, as of September 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the landlord confirmation mandatory?
Yes, for the housing provider. According to Section 19 of the Federal Act on Registration (BMG), they or a person authorized by them must confirm the move-in: in writing to the person moving in or electronically to the registration authority, within two weeks after the move-in. Anyone who fails to do so, does so incorrectly, or does so late commits an administrative offense under Section 54 BMG; the fine can be up to 1,000 euros. The registration authority requires the confirmation as proof during registration (Section 23 Paragraph 1 BMG). The lease agreement does not substitute for it.
Can you register without a landlord confirmation?
Yes, this is what the administrative regulation prescribes for registration authorities if the move-in has actually taken place. According to the administrative regulation on the Federal Act on Registration, the registration authority will process the registration even without the confirmation, and the person moving in submits the confirmation at a later date. The two-week deadline after moving in still applies; anyone who fails to register on time commits an administrative offense under Section 54 BMG. If the person does not receive the confirmation in time, they must notify the registration authority immediately pursuant to Section 19 Paragraph 2.
Can you write a landlord confirmation yourself?
Yes, the housing provider can write it themselves. Section 19 Paragraph 3 of the Federal Act on Registration specifies only the content: name and address of the housing provider and, if they are not the owner, also the name of the owner, the move-in date, the address of the apartment, and the names of the persons subject to registration. A signature must also be included, as the administrative regulation requires written confirmation with a signature. It may only be issued by the housing provider or a person authorized by them (Section 19 Paragraph 1 BMG); a tenant cannot issue it to themselves. If an owner moves into their own apartment, they confirm it themselves (No. 19.1.1 of the administrative regulation).
Where do I get a landlord confirmation?
From the housing provider, meaning the landlord or, in the case of a sublet, the main tenant. They can issue it using the template in this article, using the sample from the administrative regulation on the Federal Act on Registration (Annex 3), or using a form provided by their local registration authority, if available. An electronic method is also provided for: the housing provider confirms the move-in to the registration authority and provides the person moving in with the allocation identifier. If you have not received it, send your landlord the link to this template.
Is the Wohnungsgeberbescheinigung the same as the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung?
Yes. Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, Wohnungsgeberbescheinigung, and Vermieterbescheinigung all refer to the same document under Section 19 of the Federal Act on Registration (BMG). The law refers to the confirmation of the housing provider, and the content specified in Paragraph 3 is decisive. Vermieterbescheinigung (landlord certificate) is the narrowest of the three terms, because a housing provider is also anyone who actually provides an apartment for use without a formal tenancy relationship existing. In the case of a sublease, the main tenant issues the confirmation.
EverReal Editorial Team