Living in Germany
The practical side of being here: registering, insuring yourself, finding somewhere to live and getting the utilities switched on.
Almost everything administrative in Germany depends on two things: a registered address and health insurance. Get those in place and the rest of the list becomes possible. Leave them and you will find yourself blocked in surprising places, like opening a bank account or signing a phone contract.
The guides follow the order people need them in, from registration and housing to the local household rules that make daily life predictable. Everyday rules are clearly labelled as federal, state, municipal, lease-based or ordinary local practice.
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Living guides
Checked against the relevant official sources, with the date each figure was last verified.
Health insurance in Germany: how the system works
Health insurance is not optional in Germany. Everyone living here needs cover, and which system you belong to is usually decided by your job and income rather than by preference.
14 min read · updated August 2026
Renting a flat in Germany
The German rental market rewards preparation. Landlords in busy cities choose between many applicants, and the ones who get the flat are usually those whose documents were ready before the viewing.
10 min read · updated August 2026
Electricity contracts in Germany
Electricity is rarely included in your rent. If you do nothing, you are supplied anyway under the default tariff, which is reliable and usually the most expensive option available.
7 min read · updated August 2026
Getting internet at home in Germany
The paperwork takes minutes and the installation can take weeks. Ordering early is the only reliable way to avoid working from a mobile hotspot for a month.
6 min read · updated August 2026
The broadcasting contribution (Rundfunkbeitrag)
Almost every household in Germany pays a broadcasting contribution, and it is charged whether or not anyone in the flat owns a television.
7 min read · updated August 2026
Using public transport in Germany
How local fare zones, ticket validation, the Deutschlandticket and separate long-distance fares fit together.
6 min read · updated August 2026
Getting a German SIM card and mobile plan
A German number can simplify bank verification and appointment confirmations. Compare prepaid, eSIM and fixed-term offers by activation, coverage, contract terms and total cost.
7 min read · updated August 2026
Your First Bank Account After Moving to Germany
Rent, salary, insurance and most contracts run through a German IBAN. Opening an account is one of the first things worth doing, and one of the easier ones.
6 min read · updated August 2026
Everyday rules in Germany: a practical starting point
Quiet times, Sunday routines, rubbish, apartment rules and pet duties become much easier once you know who actually makes each rule.
14 min read · updated August 2026
Quiet hours in Germany: Ruhezeit explained
There is no single nationwide household timetable. Noise rules can come from federal machinery law, a Bundesland, your municipality and the tenancy documents for your building.
15 min read · updated August 2026
Sundays and public holidays in Germany
Sunday retail, employee working time, public holidays and household noise follow different rules. Understanding those separate tracks prevents most newcomer confusion.
12 min read · updated August 2026
Waste separation in Germany: which bin?
The common five-stream system is a useful starting point, but your city or district’s Abfall-ABC is the final practical guide for your address.
17 min read · updated August 2026
Pets and dogs in Germany: tenancy and local rules
Pet rules depend on the animal, the tenancy, the Bundesland and the municipality. Dogs in particular can trigger tax, registration, leash, insurance or identification duties.
11 min read · updated August 2026
German Tax ID (Steuer-ID): how to receive or recover it
What the 11-digit Steuer-ID is, when it arrives after Anmeldung, why employers need it, and how to request it again if the letter never arrives.
7 min read · updated August 2026
The German healthcare system: a practical guide
How insurance, doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and emergency services fit together—and what you may pay at the point of care.
14 min read · updated August 2026
Finding a doctor in Germany
A practical route from finding a Hausarzt to booking specialists, handling referrals and getting care outside practice hours.
11 min read · updated August 2026
If you have just arrived, the New to Germany checklist walks through these in order and remembers what you have done.
Open the checklistOfficial resources
The authorities and portals that decide or publish the rules in this area.
Registering a move (Anmeldung and Ummeldung)
Bundesportal
Official overview of what registering an address involves. Local appointment systems and procedures vary by municipality.
Visit official websiteRegistering a move (Anmeldung and Ummeldung), opens in a new tabHealth insurance in Germany
Federal Ministry of Health
Official explanation of statutory and private health insurance and who belongs where.
Visit official websiteHealth insurance in Germany, opens in a new tab116117 medical on-call service
National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians
When to use 116117 for urgent, non-life-threatening care and when to call emergency services.
Visit official website116117 medical on-call service, opens in a new tabEnergy consumer service
Bundesnetzagentur
The regulator’s consumer service for electricity and gas: switching supplier, basic supply, meters and complaints.
Visit official websiteEnergy consumer service, opens in a new tabBroadcasting contribution — information in English
Beitragsservice (ARD, ZDF, Deutschlandradio)
Official English-language explanation of the broadcasting contribution and how to register.
Visit official websiteBroadcasting contribution — information in English, opens in a new tabHow to separate household waste
German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt)
National guidance for glass, paper, packaging, bio-waste, residual waste, batteries, electrical devices and hazardous household waste.
Visit official websiteHow to separate household waste, opens in a new tabOutdoor machinery operating times — § 7 of the 32nd BImSchV
Federal Ministry of Justice / Federal Office of Justice
The federal rule for listed outdoor machinery in residential and other protected areas, including Sunday, public-holiday and working-day restrictions and possible exceptions.
Visit official websiteOutdoor machinery operating times — § 7 of the 32nd BImSchV, opens in a new tabFrequently asked questions
Register your address, because most other steps ask for proof of it, and sort out health insurance. Those two unlock nearly everything else.
The federal registration rule generally requires Anmeldung within two weeks after moving in. Appointment systems and evidence of an attempted booking vary by municipality, so follow the instructions of the registration office responsible for your address.
No. Federal rules cover particular topics, but state law, municipal rules and your Mietvertrag or Hausordnung can add the practical details for your address.