Get your tax ID (steuerliche Identifikationsnummer)
Verified as of 2026-06-13 · Official source
The tax ID (steuerliche Identifikationsnummer, "Steuer-ID") is an 11-digit number that stays with you for life. Your employer needs it to tax your salary correctly, and the Finanzamt uses it on everything. It is issued automatically after your first Anmeldung — this guide is mainly for understanding it and for getting a replacement if the letter never arrives.
Complete your Anmeldung first
The tax ID is triggered by registering your address. If you haven't registered yet, do that first — the number is generated from that record, not from a separate application.
Typical time: See the Anmeldung guideCost: FreeWait for the letter from the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern
After your first registration, the Federal Central Tax Office posts the number to your registered address. Watch for an official letter; people often mistake it for junk mail.
Typical time: ~2–3 weeks after AnmeldungCost: FreeFirst complete: Complete your Anmeldung first
Request it again if it doesn't arrive
If weeks pass with no letter, you can ask the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern to re-send it using the form on their website. For data-protection reasons they only send it by post to your registered address, not by email or phone.
Typical time: Reply by post, a few weeksCost: FreeFirst complete: Complete your Anmeldung first
Documents to bring
- Your full name and registered address
- Date and place of birth
Official sources
Related guides
- Register your address in Berlin (Anmeldung) — Registering your address is what triggers the tax ID.
Change log
- 2026-06-12 — Initial publication.
- 2026-06-13 — Updated BZSt tax-ID link after restructure; re-verified.
Information, not legal or tax advice. Always check the official source for your case.