Clearance certificate (Unbedenklichkeitsbescheinigung) from the city of Essen
Clearance certificate (Unbedenklichkeitsbescheinigung) in Essen: it confirms that you have no tax arrears with the city of Essen, for example for a restaurant licence. It is issued by the Forderungsmanagement (receivables office) at Porscheplatz 1, free of charge. Apply online or in writing; at peak times up to 3 weeks. We apply for 49.90 euros.
Clearance certificate Essen: the facts
- Responsible office
- Stadt Essen, Finanzbuchhaltung und Stadtsteueramt, Forderungsmanagement, Rathaus, Porscheplatz 1, 45127 EssenAs of: 26.10.2026 · Stadt Essen
- Official fee
- none («Kosten: Keine»)As of: 26.10.2026 · Stadt Essen
- How to apply
- online in the service portal · in writing · by phone · in urgent cases in person, taken away immediatelyAs of: 26.10.2026 · Stadt Essen
- Processing time
- up to three weeks at peak times · enquiries only after thatAs of: 26.10.2026 · Stadt Essen
All details (4)Show less
- Delivery
- by post to you or directly to the authority you name
- Required detail
- the office the certificate is needed for
- Contact
- ServiceDesk 0201 88-21888 · service hours Mon, Tue, Thu 8:30–13 and 14–15, Fri 8:30–12
- Behördenfix fixed price
- 49.90 € – entirely our fee for application and follow-up; the city of Essen charges no fee
How the application works with us
- 1Name company and purposeName, address and the office asking for the certificate.
- 2Pay the fixed priceNo city of Essen fee is added.
- 3Application in the service portalWe apply once, by one route.
- 4Sending and follow-upThe city sends to you or to the named authority; after three weeks we follow up.
Applying yourself at the Forderungsmanagement
The way without us, step by step
You can also apply to the city of Essen yourself. The Forderungsmanagement names these routes:
- Online via the application for a certificate in tax matters in the city of Essen's service portal.
- In writing or by phone; the city needs no documents for this. The only important detail is which office the certificate is for.
- In urgent cases in person at the town hall, Porscheplatz 1: with a valid ID card or passport you take the certificate away immediately.
- Apply by one route only. The city expressly asks for this, as duplicate applications delay processing.
- Wait up to three weeks before enquiring; after that the ServiceDesk helps on 0201 88-21888.
- Costs: none at the city of Essen. With us you pay 49.90 euros; this is entirely our fee for application and follow-up, with no official fee in it.
Details for the application
- Name or company and address, as registered with the city of Essen.
- The authority or office you need the certificate for, with its address if it should go there directly.
More documents (2)Show less
- For collection at the town hall: valid ID card or passport. For phone and written applications the city asks for no documents.
- For our order: your power of attorney, which you confirm during the order.
What is special in Essen
No fee and direct sending
The city of Essen charges no fee for the tax clearance certificate. In Düsseldorf the city treasury's certificate in tax matters costs 10 euros, in Köln (Cologne) 20 euros.
More about Essen (3)Show less
On request, Essen sends the certificate directly to the authority asking for it. The city names as occasions, among others, restaurant licences, amusement arcades, itinerant trade cards, public tenders, taxi and car hire businesses, and brokers, property developers and insurance intermediaries under § 34 ff. of the Trade Regulation Act.
Do not confuse them: the city's certificate concerns taxes paid to the city of Essen. The tax office issues its own certificate in tax matters, often also called a clearance certificate. In NRW it is also free and is requested via ELSTER, in writing or by phone.
According to the NRW tax administration, the tax office's certificate includes the tax number, tax types, the amount of tax debts and punctuality of payments and returns. It is valid only in the original and without deletions; the office you present it to decides how long it is accepted. Its bilingual name is «Certificate in Tax Matters».
Questions about the clearance certificate in Essen
How do I get a clearance certificate from the city of Essen?
Via the online application in the service portal, in writing or by phone at the city of Essen's Forderungsmanagement. State which office you need the certificate for. It comes by post to you or directly to that office. In urgent cases you collect it immediately at the town hall with ID.
Who issues the clearance certificate in Essen?
For municipal taxes, the Forderungsmanagement in the city of Essen's financial accounting and municipal tax office, town hall, Porscheplatz 1. It confirms that there are no tax arrears with the city. For taxes at the tax office, the tax office is responsible; its certificate in tax matters is a separate document.
What does the city of Essen's clearance certificate cost?
Nothing. The city of Essen's page says under costs: «Keine» (none). In Düsseldorf the city treasury charges 10 euros, in Köln 20 euros. With us you pay 49.90 euros for application and follow-up; no city fee is added in Essen.
Where do I apply for the certificate at the tax office?
At your tax office, not the city. The NRW tax administration names applying via ELSTER, in writing or by phone, with name, tax number or identification number and number of copies. Issuing is free in NRW. Which of the two certificates you need is stated in the requesting office's letter.
How long does the certificate take in Essen?
Up to three weeks at peak times, the city of Essen writes. During that time it wants no enquiries, as they delay processing further. If nothing comes after three weeks, contact the ServiceDesk on 0201 88-21888. If you are in a hurry, collect the certificate immediately at the town hall with ID.
Official sources
- Stadt Essen – Steuerliche Unbedenklichkeitsbescheinigung, read on 26.10.2026
- Stadt Essen – Forderungsmanagement (Anschrift, Servicezeiten), read on 26.10.2026
- Finanzverwaltung NRW – Bescheinigung in Steuersachen, read on 26.10.2026
Reviewed by M. Gabal on 26.10.2026
Provided by Behördenfix (M. Gabal). Behördenfix applies on your behalf and follows up. We do not give legal advice and do not assess your individual case.