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Get or find your Steuer-ID

Selected criteria

  1. I recently arrived in Germany
  2. Arrange initial documents
  3. Get or find my Steuer-ID

The Steuer-ID is a personal tax identification number needed for many first procedures after moving. Start by registering your address: after Anmeldung, your details are usually sent to the tax system. Then check the letter from BZSt and documents you already have—the number may appear on a tax assessment, employer documents, or your annual wage statement. If you have not received a letter, do not confuse the Steuer-ID with other tax numbers: they serve different purposes. If necessary, request the number again and check the local procedure with your authority. If you have a child and plan to claim Kindergeld, check in advance which tax identification numbers have already been assigned and which details you will need for the application.

Plan overview

A route to register your address, get or find your Steuer-ID, distinguish it from other tax numbers, and use it in related first procedures.

What to do step by step

  1. 1

    Register your residential address

    Prepare your address registration and confirmation of registration: this is the starting point for receiving a Steuer-ID after moving.

    Articles for this step

    Anmeldung in Germany: How to Register Your Address
  2. 2

    Check your letter and available documents

    Look for the Steuer-ID in the BZSt letter, tax documents, and employer documents if you already have them.

    Articles for this step

    Steuer-ID in Germany: How to Obtain and Where to Find Your Tax Identification Number Payslip in Germany: How to Read an Entgeltabrechnung Lohnsteuerbescheinigung in Germany: What This Certificate Is and How to Read the Annual Statement
  3. 3

    Clarify which tax number you need

    Check the purpose: your personal Steuer-ID differs from a Steuernummer, USt-ID, and numbers connected with self-employment.

  4. 4

    Request the number again if needed

    If you cannot find the number, use the described re-request method and check whether you can clarify the procedure in your city.

    Articles for this step

    Steuer-ID in Germany: How to Obtain and Where to Find Your Tax Identification Number
  5. 5

    Include your Steuer-ID in a Kindergeld application

    If you are applying for child benefit, check the tax identification numbers of the applicant and child, if they have already been assigned.

    Articles for this step

    Kindergeld in Germany in 2026: Amount, Eligibility, and How to Apply

Important notes

  • Do not delay address registration: it is linked to receiving your Steuer-ID later.
  • For Kindergeld, check whether identification numbers have been assigned to the applicant and child.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming local procedures are the same