Germany's official address deregistration process — required when leaving Germany or changing address, confirming you are no longer resident at a previous address.
Abmeldung — literally "deregistration" — is the process of officially deregistering your residential address from the Einwohnermeldeamt (residents' registration office, part of the Bürgeramt). If Anmeldung is the process of registering your address in Germany, Abmeldung is its mirror image: formally recording that you are no longer living at a registered German address. Abmeldung is required by law when you move out of Germany permanently or when you leave a German address without immediately registering at a new one in Germany.
The legal basis for Abmeldung is the Bundesmeldegesetz (BMG). You must complete Abmeldung within two weeks of leaving your German address. This is done in person at the Bürgeramt, or in some municipalities online via the Bürgerserviceportal. You complete the Abmeldungsformular, provide your identification (Personalausweis or passport), and the office issues you a Abmeldebestätigung — the official confirmation of deregistration.
Abmeldung has important practical and legal consequences. It formally ends your German address registration, which affects your German tax residency status, your health insurance obligations under German law, and your liability for German-registered contracts and subscriptions. Banks, utilities, mobile phone providers, and other subscription services should be notified separately — Abmeldung does not automatically cancel contracts.
For expats leaving Germany, the Abmeldung also affects German income tax. If you deregister from Germany, you cease to be a German tax resident from that date (subject to the Doppelbesteuerungsabkommen — double tax treaty — with your new country of residence). You will still owe German income tax on any German-source income after Abmeldung (e.g. rental income from German property), but will no longer be subject to German worldwide income tax obligations.
A common scenario for expats: you leave Germany to move to another EU country but keep a German rental property. In this case, you should Abmelden from your German address and Anmelden at your new address abroad. Your ongoing German rental income will be subject to German Einkommensteuer, but you will be treated as a non-resident limited taxpayer (beschränkt steuerpflichtig) in Germany rather than an unlimited taxpayer on worldwide income.
If you are moving to a new address within Germany, you do not need to Abmelden — you simply Anmelden at your new address, which automatically overwrites the old registration. Abmeldung is only required when you leave Germany permanently (or leave a German address without immediately registering at another German address).
Technically you remain registered at your old German address and may be considered still resident for tax and administrative purposes. Continued registration without actual residence can lead to administrative complications. You can Abmelden even after the fact — contact the Bürgeramt for the address you were registered at to complete a late Abmeldung.
No — Abmeldung does not automatically cancel your statutory German health insurance (GKV) or private health insurance (PKV). You must separately notify your health insurer of your departure from Germany and arrange appropriate health coverage in your new country of residence. GKV coverage typically ends at the end of the month of your Abmeldung.
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