How Long Does the German Tax ID Take After Anmeldung?

Your German tax ID (Steueridentifikationsnummer, or Steuer-ID) typically arrives by post 2–3 weeks after your Anmeldung (address registration). It is not handed to you at the registration appointment — it comes later, in a separate letter from the Federal Central Tax Office. Some people receive it within a week; others wait four weeks or more in busy periods. Around two to three weeks is typical, and anything up to six is normal rather than a sign of a problem.

Who this applies to#

• Applies to: anyone who has just completed, or is about to complete, their Anmeldung and needs the tax ID for a job.
• Also relevant if: your start date is close and you are not sure the number will arrive in time.
• Not covered here: getting the ID at all — that is covered in the main tax ID guide.

What actually happens, and when#

The wait is postal and administrative, not something you can chase at a counter:

The important detail: the Anmeldebestätigung (registration confirmation) you receive on the day of your appointment does not show the tax ID. They are two separate documents that arrive at different times.

If it is late or does not arrive#

You have several routes, so a late letter rarely becomes a real problem:

• Request it from the Federal Central Tax Office (Bundeszentralamt für Steuern). They will re-send it to your registered address. This is the standard fix if weeks pass with nothing.
• Check with the registration office where you did your Anmeldung — some can tell you the number or confirm your data was transmitted.
• Look on your first payslip. Once payroll has run, the Steuer-ID usually appears on your Lohnabrechnung. Where an employer has started someone provisionally, this is often how the number surfaces. Under § 39c EStG, where the tax-ID (ELStAM) data is not yet available and the delay is not attributable to the employee, the employer may apply the presumed tax class provisionally for up to three calendar months; after that period, or where the employee does not supply the data, tax class VI applies until it is provided.

What changes by city#

The tax ID is issued centrally, so the posting time is broadly the same nationwide. What differs by city is the step before it — how long it takes to get an Anmeldung appointment at all, which sets when the clock starts:

• Berlin — long appointment waits are common, so the tax ID often feels slow simply because registering took weeks.
• Munich (KVR / Bürgerbüro), Frankfurt, Stuttgart — booking ahead usually keeps the registration step predictable, so the 2–3 week postal wait starts sooner.
• Hamburg, Cologne — lead times vary by office and season.

The variable that affects tax ID timing is when registration happens, not the postal delay itself.

What changes by visa track#

Nothing about the posting time depends on your visa. EU/EEA citizens, EU Blue Card holders (§ 18g AufenthG), skilled workers, and students all receive the tax ID on the same automatic schedule after Anmeldung. Your permit governs entry and registration timing; once you are registered, the tax ID follows the same route for everyone.

What people often miss#

• The tax ID is not on the Anmeldung confirmation; expecting it there leads to the wrong number being given to an employer.
• A re-send can be requested from the Federal Central Tax Office after two to three weeks rather than waiting the full six.
• A late Anmeldung appointment pushes the whole tax ID timeline back with it.

Frequently asked questions#

This is general information about German rules and procedures, not tax or legal advice. For your own situation, speak to a Steuerberater or a lawyer.