Find your German tax ID or request it again

What do you need?

The Steuer-ID (tax identification number) is your personal identification number for tax matters in Germany. It is assigned to you permanently. The Steuer-ID and the Steuernummer (tax number) are not the same thing.

Where do you stand right now?

I don't have a tax ID yet

You don't need to apply for it. After your first registration in Germany, the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) will send you the number by post.

1Register residence
2Wait for letter from BZSt
3Still nothing after 3 months? Request number

Important: Your last name must be on the mailbox.

I can't find my tax ID anymore

The number stays the same for a lifetime. It is often already on documents you have:

Income tax certificate (Lohnsteuerbescheinigung)

Income tax assessment (Einkommensteuerbescheid)

Schematic representation, not a real document. Search for the word „Identifikationsnummer“ or „IdNr“ and an eleven-digit number.

1Income tax certificate (Lohnsteuerbescheinigung) – you get this every year from your employer
2Income tax assessment (Einkommensteuerbescheid) – from the tax office, usually on the first page
3New letter from BZSt – if you can't find anything else

Lost your tax ID?

You can request your tax ID again from the Federal Central Tax Office – online or with a prepared letter.

Request online from the BZSt Create a letter with MeaNext

The BZSt only sends the number by letter to your registered address – not by phone or email. This can take a few weeks.

Can I ask for my tax ID by phone?

No. For privacy reasons, the BZSt does not give out the number by phone or email. It is sent by post.

Can I find my tax ID online?

The official online form lets you request the number again. It is not displayed in the form: you receive it afterwards by post.

Where can I find my tax ID as a pensioner?

Check your latest income tax assessment, an old BZSt letter or a previous wage tax certificate. The same number remains valid in retirement. If you cannot find it, ask the BZSt to send it again.

Which authority is responsible?

The Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) manages tax IDs. You can request re-notification online or in a letter.

With your tax ID, you can also register your IBAN for direct state payments. To IBAN instructions

You normally receive your tax ID automatically

After you register your address in Germany for the first time, your registration data is passed on to the Federal Central Tax Office. If you have never had a German tax ID, one is generally assigned to you automatically.

You normally do not have to apply for it yourself.
The notification is generally sent by post to your registered address.
Keep that letter in a safe place.

What you should do now

1First wait for the automatic notification by post.
2Once it arrives, store your tax ID safely.
3If you have not received a tax ID 3 months after your first registration, you can ask the Federal Central Tax Office to send it again.

Tax ID or tax number?

The two numbers are often mixed up.

The tax ID belongs permanently to you as a person.
A tax number is issued by the tax office for specific tax procedures and can change.
When your employer asks for your tax ID, they normally do not mean the tax number.

Where should you share the number?

Treat your tax ID like a personal identification number and share it only where it is genuinely needed.

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Terms on this page

Tap a word. The terms stay in German so you recognise them in letters and forms.

This is orientation, not legal advice. Please check the details at the official source.

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