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The Meldezettel: Registering at a new address in Austria

Updated: Jan 29, 2024

Question

I have heard that everyone in Austria needs to register where they live with a "Meldezettel" in Austria. What is this and how do I go about registering at a new address in Austria?


Answer

When you move to a new home in Austria you need to go to the authorities and register your new address.


Clarifying the language

The Meldezettel is these days actually only the form you use to apply for the Meldebestätigung ("registration confirmation"). This Meldebestätigung is the document which you will need to keep safe to prove that you are registered in Austria. You will need it to open a bank account or to register with the Finanzamt, for example. Old habits die hard though and most people still refer to the proof of registration as the Meldezettel.


The registration form (i.e. the Meldezettel) for the Meldebestätigung can either be downloaded (from near the bottom of this webpage here under “Link to form”) or picked up from your local registration office.


Key information

  • Every member of the household, including children, must be registered and have their own Meldebestätigung. This means that you will have fill out a separate application form for each person in your household.

  • Registration is necessary for:

    • People moving to Austria for the first time

    • People moving home within Austria

    • People buying or selling a second home (Nebenwohnsitz)

  • If you register a new main residence (Hauptwohnsitz) the authorities can, at the same time, deregister you from your old residence, wherever in Austria that might be.

  • It is possible to register in person, by post or, in some cases, digitally (see “Digital (online) service” below) To register your new address at the registration authority you need to bring a Meldezettel (the application form - see above) for each person in the household. Over-18s need to sign their forms. You will also need proof of your new address (rental contract/purchase deed), your previous Meldebestätigung (if you have previously lived somewhere else), and proof of ID (passport, birth certificate) for everyone in the family.

  • All members of the household DO NOT need to be present, but make sure you have their signatures on their Meldezettel forms or it will be a wasted journey.

  • The residence registration of a newborn baby can be made at the same time as the notification of the birth at the registry office if a registration form is filled out beforehand (usually in the hospital). In this case, it is not necessary to register additionally with your local registration authority.

  • Changes in the name, civil status, gender or citizenship are automatically registered in the Meldebestätigung system, so long as these changes were made in Austria.

  • Registrations are recorded on the Zentralen Melderegister (ZMR). You can ask at a registration office for a printout of all your historical registrations, should you ever need one.

  • A residence (main or secondary) can only be registered after you have moved in. This is confirmed by the accommodation provider on the registration form. Registration of a residence without actually living there is punishable by law (false registration).

  • Abuse of the legal reporting obligations (particularly by neglecting to register or de‑register at all, or doing so even though you have not taken up or left accommodation) is an administrative violation which is punishable by a fine of up to €726 (or for repeat offences, up to €2,180).


Do I need to register if I am only in Austria for a couple of months?

Technically yes. Everyone staying more than a few days must either be a tourist or a resident. If you are a tourist you should be paying the tourist tax. If you are a resident you should be registered with a Meldebestätigung.


Deadline for registering for the Meldebestätigung

The deadline for reporting a new address is three days after you move in. Yes, just three days!

According to an enquiry at Stadt Salzburg, you don't need to register if you are staying at a hotel, campsite, AirBnb etc. for less than two months. You will be registered there as a tourist.


Where do I register?

This depends on where you live. In Vienna you register at a district office (see next section). Outside Vienna, in larger cities you register at the Magistrat. Elsewhere you register with your local Gemeinde office.



Vienna

A list of district offices in Vienna is here: https://www.wien.gv.at/verwaltung/meldeservice/stellen.html.


Note that it is not necessary to go to the district office where you live ("Zuständige Stelle: Meldeservice in den Magistratischen Bezirksämtern - unabhängig vom Wohnbezirk"). Tanja Weißenböck always recommends trying the office for the first district since it is not usually too busy. It is also possible to send your application form in by email if it is not your first application since arriving in Austria.


Digital (online) service

For a change of the main residence (registration and deregistration), a digital official service (online service reporting via oesterreich.gv.at) is available. You will need to have an ID Austria/Handy Signatur (see this article) and note that the website says that the service is currently (June 2023) only open to Austrian citizens.


Deregistering residence (without registration of a main residence) is another digital service via oesterreich.gv.at. However, it is not possible to re-register online after using this service.


It is also possible to obtain a copy of your Meldebestätigung, for a fee, via the online portal.


Completing the application form

In order to apply for the Meldebestätigung, all sections of the "Meldezettel" (the application form) must be completed.

This includes:

  • Religion: This can be left blank. Be warned that stating a religion can make you liable for church taxes!!! See our article here.

  • ZMR number: This is a twelve-digit number arbitrarily assigned by the system, which serves the authorities for identification. If you are new in Austria you won't have one.

  • Signature of the reporting person: This confirms the factual accuracy of the reporting data.

  • Signature of the accommodation provider

The accommodation provider is the person who actually grants accommodation to the accommodation recipient, for example:

  • the owner of a property to themselves, their cohabitant (e.g. life partner, family members) or their main tenant,

  • the main tenant to their cohabitant or a subtenant,

  • the subtenant to a cohabitant.


Cost

You will be given one copy of the Meldebestätigung for free but if you require any further copies they cost €14.30.


Finding someone else's registration information

It is possible to request the Meldebestätigung Information about another person so long as you have enough identifying information. A small fee is charged.



Deregistering

You are required to deregister when moving out of a property, for example to move abroad. The time window for doing this is from 3 days before you leave until 3 days after you have left. It is not necessary to deregister if you are moving to a new property within Austria since you will be automatically be deregistered when you register at your new address.


It is possible to deregister by post.

There is no charge for deregistering.



The difference between a "main" and "secondary" residence

If you own or rent more than one property you need to declare one as your main residence (Hautwohnsitz) and others as secondary residences (Nebenwohnsitz).


Essentially your main residence is where your "centre of life" is based. This is more or less a personal decision. For example, it might be that whilst you rent an apartment in Vienna for your work, you consider your main residence to be where your family lives, and where you spend most weekends.


The distinction between main and secondary residence can be important, for example, for schooling or for applying for a parking permit.



References and further information


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