Change of main residence

If you have several residences in Germany and the status of your residence has changed (main residence is now used as a secondary residence or secondary residence is now used as main residence without moving into or out of a new or previous residence), you are obliged to inform the competent registration authority of this.

The main residence is:

• If you are married or living in a civil partnership: the home primarily used by the family or civil partnership. This also applies if you are only temporarily separated from your family or partner.
• If you are married or in a civil partnership and live apart permanently: Your predominantly used home.
• If you are a minor: the home mainly used by your parents or foster parents. If they live separately, the main residence is the home in which you mainly live.
• Only if the predominantly used home cannot be determined beyond doubt should the focus of the living relationships be taken into account. Indications for this are, for example, the type of home, personal ties, social and local political activities as well as membership in clubs and other organizations.

At the same time, you are obliged to inform the registration authority which other residences (secondary residences) you have in addition to your main residence in Germany.

A secondary residence is any other residence in Germany. You can therefore have one main residence and several secondary residences.