Applying for a Meldebescheinigung: routes and fees

The Meldebescheinigung (certificate of registration) confirms where you are registered. You get it from the registration office of your city; on paper it costs 9 euros in Köln, Düsseldorf, Essen, Dortmund and Duisburg. Electronically it is free (§ 18 Federal Registration Act); Düsseldorf and Dortmund issue it as a PDF with the online ID.

Meldebescheinigung: the essentials

Content
name, doctoral degree, date of birth, current addressesAs of: 26.10.2026 · § 18 BMG
Extended
more data on request, such as marital statusAs of: 26.10.2026 · § 18 BMG
Responsible office
registration office (Bürgeramt) of your cityAs of: 26.10.2026 · § 18 BMG
Electronic
free electronically (§ 18 para. 3 BMG)As of: 26.10.2026 · § 18 BMG
All details (4)
Official fee
€9 on paper in Köln, Düsseldorf, Essen, Dortmund and Duisburg
Registration confirmation
free when registering or deregistering, but not a Meldebescheinigung
Power of attorney
collection by an authorised person with power of attorney and ID
Behördenfix fixed price
€29 including the city's fee, simple or extended; you sign, we send

Please note

  • • You sign the form yourself

Meldebescheinigung in five cities

Kölnnot online; customer centre without appointment, €9; via us: our team collects it with your power of attorney
Düsseldorfonline with online ID as a PDF, free; at the citizens' office with appointment €9
Essenonline form, sent by post in 7 to 14 working days; €9
More rows (2)
Dortmundonline with online ID as a PDF, free; by post or with appointment €9
Duisburgin person, in writing or by email to the citizens' service station; €9

As of 26.10.2026, according to the cities' service pages (see official sources).

How we apply for the certificate with you

  1. 1Give your detailsSimple or extended, your address.
  2. 2Pay the fixed price29 euros, city fee included.
  3. 3Sign the applicationWe prepare it, you sign; for Köln also the power of attorney.
  4. 4We send or collectTo the registration office; in Köln our team collects it with your power of attorney.

Applying for the Meldebescheinigung yourself

The way without us, step by step

You can get a Meldebescheinigung without us, directly from your city. This is how the five cities describe the process:

  • With the online ID: Düsseldorf and Dortmund issue the Meldebescheinigung online as a PDF, free of charge. You need an ID card, an electronic residence permit or an eID card with the online function switched on, and the AusweisApp or a card reader.
  • Essen accepts the application via an online form and sends the certificate by post to your registered address, according to the city in 7 to 14 working days.
  • Köln does not issue Meldebescheinigungen online. You get it without an appointment at the information desk of any of its nine customer centres.
  • Duisburg accepts applications in person, in writing or by email to the citizens' service stations. With a written application you enclose a copy of your ID and can transfer the fee in advance.
  • Costs compared: at the city you pay 9 euros for the paper certificate; the electronic one is free. With us you pay 29 euros for the simple or extended certificate, the city's fee included.
  • We are not an authority. Only the registration office issues the certificate.

Open the official page

What you need

  • Your ID card or passport.
  • For a written application: a copy of it.
More documents (2)
  • If someone else collects it: power of attorney, your ID and the authorised person's ID.
  • Which certificate you need. The office asking for it will tell you.

Meldebestätigung or Meldebescheinigung?

The two papers sound alike but are two different documents.

All details (2)

You get the Meldebestätigung (registration confirmation) when you register or deregister, free of charge (§ 24 para. 2 Federal Registration Act). It shows, among other things, the move-in or move-out date and the date of registration. Köln issues it once free of charge; each further copy costs a fee.

You apply for the Meldebescheinigung later, whenever you need to prove your current address (§ 18). The extended version with marital status and nationality is usually required, according to Düsseldorf, Dortmund and Duisburg, by the registry office when you give notice of marriage. In Dortmund it is not needed there if your main residence is in Dortmund and there is no information block; Duisburg gives a validity of 8 days for this purpose. Older addresses: the Köln customer centres go back to about 1985; before that, the city's Historical Archive helps.

When does our help make sense?

You do not need it if you live in Düsseldorf or Dortmund and can use your online ID. Then you get the Meldebescheinigung immediately as a PDF and pay nothing. You can also reach the online form in Essen without us.

It can help if you have no online ID, cannot get an appointment or do not want to go to the citizens' office. Dortmund and Düsseldorf only see people on site with an appointment. We prepare the application with your details, you sign, we send it to the registration office and pay the city's fee.

What we do not do: we do not obtain information about other people, we do not use your online ID, and the city decides when the certificate arrives.

Questions about the Meldebescheinigung

What does the extended Meldebescheinigung show?

In addition to name, date of birth and address, it can contain further data from the population register on your request (§ 18 para. 2 Federal Registration Act). The cities name marital status, nationality and religion, Köln also former Köln addresses. Düsseldorf, Essen, Dortmund and Duisburg also call it a residence certificate (Aufenthaltsbescheinigung). It is usually needed for giving notice of marriage at the registry office. We apply for it at the same price as the simple one, 29 euros; you choose the version you need in the order.

Can I apply for the Meldebescheinigung online?

That depends on your city. Düsseldorf and Dortmund issue it immediately as a PDF with the online ID, free of charge. Essen has an online form and sends the certificate by post. Köln writes that Meldebescheinigungen cannot be applied for online. Duisburg accepts applications by email to the citizens' service stations and replies by letter.

How much does a Meldebescheinigung cost?

On paper the Meldebescheinigung costs 9 euros each in Köln, Düsseldorf, Essen, Dortmund and Duisburg, as of 26 October 2026. The electronic certificate is free under § 18 para. 3 Federal Registration Act. For pension purposes it is also free in Düsseldorf and Dortmund, in Dortmund also for child benefit. With us it costs 29 euros including the fee.

Is it available in English?

None of the five cities mentions an English version on its service page. Ask the office requesting the certificate whether the German document is enough or whether it needs a certified translation. Behördenfix offers a certified translation as a separate service; it is not included in the price of the Meldebescheinigung.

Can the Meldebescheinigung be obtained with a power of attorney?

Yes, Köln, Düsseldorf, Dortmund and Duisburg say so. In Köln the authorised person shows the power of attorney, a valid ID of yours and their own ID. Dortmund hands certificates to third parties only with a power of attorney and sends them by post only to the address in the population register.

Is the Meldebestätigung enough for my employer?

Your employer decides. You get the Meldebestätigung once, when you register or deregister; it also shows the move-in date. The Meldebescheinigung confirms your current address on the day it is issued and, according to Düsseldorf and Dortmund, serves as proof for authorities and companies. Duisburg writes: the office requesting it tells you which certificate you need.

Official sources

Sources (5)

Reviewed by M. Gabal on 27.10.2026

Provided by Behördenfix (M. Gabal). Behördenfix prepares the application with your details; you sign, and we send it to the registration office and pay the city's fee. In Köln our team collects the certificate with your power of attorney at the customer centre. We do not use the online ID or online accounts. We are not an authority, give no legal advice and do not assess your individual case.

Related services (7)
What we do and what we don't
  • We fill in applications based on your details, file them and follow them up.
  • We give no legal or tax advice and do not assess chances of success.
  • We are a private service, not a public authority.
Have the Meldebescheinigung applied for· 29 €