Moving to Germany step by step: Anmeldung, car, insurance

• Sign your tenancy agreement in Germany and fix the exact move-in date.
• Book an appointment at the registration office (Bürgeramt). In big cities, free slots can be scarce.
• Cancel your contracts in Poland: rent, utilities, internet, subscriptions.
• Request a transport quote and decide what goes with you and what stays behind or gets sold.
• Check that your home in Germany will be ready on the day you arrive. If not, plan to store your belongings.

We reach Dresden, Berlin and Leipzig from Wrocław on the same day and unload straight away. For cities further afield, we plan an overnight stop for the drivers or an early-morning departure.

When choosing a date, German regulations need to be taken into account: lorries over 7.5 tonnes are not allowed on the road on Sundays and public holidays, and extra restrictions apply on some motorways on summer Saturdays. That's why we usually schedule unloading for a working day.

No-parking zone (Halteverbotszone)

In German cities, you can't just pull up outside the building. For moving day, you order a temporary no-stopping zone, issued by the local road traffic authority. The application has to be made in advance, and the signs must go up several days beforehand. Without one, the crew has to carry furniture from a distant car park, and unloading takes longer.

Low-emission zones (Umweltzone)

Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne and many other cities have zones that only vehicles with a green sticker may enter. We choose the vehicle for the route so that it can reach your address without any problems.

When your new home isn't ready yet

Your belongings can wait in our warehouse in Frankfurt am Main – at the junction of the A3, A5 and A66 motorways – or in Wrocław before departure.

Within two weeks of moving in, you have to register at the registration office (Bürgeramt). It's the most important appointment after the move – most of what follows depends on registration. Take with you:

• your ID card or passport,
• Wohnungsgeberbestätigung – a confirmation from your landlord that you have moved in.

After the appointment, you receive a Meldebescheinigung – proof of registration that your bank, employer and insurer will ask for. Your German tax ID (Steuer-ID) arrives by post after registration.

Once Germany becomes your place of residence, a car with Polish plates has to be re-registered at the vehicle registration office (Zulassungsstelle). Registration requires German third-party liability insurance – the insurer issues an electronic confirmation (eVB-Nummer), which you give to the office.

The list of required vehicle documents is provided by your local Zulassungsstelle. Check it before your visit so you don't have to go twice.

• Health insurance is compulsory in Germany. If you're employed, your employer registers you, but you choose the health insurance fund (Krankenkasse) yourself.
• Rundfunkbeitrag – the broadcasting licence fee charged per household, whether or not you own a TV.
• Bank account – when you open one, the bank usually asks for proof of registration.
• Matters in Poland – set up mail forwarding and update your address with your bank and employer.

1. Keep documents, keys, medication and electronics with you, not in the lorry.
2. The day before, check that the no-parking zone signs are up at your new address.
3. Keep your phone to hand – the driver will call before arriving.
4. Point out the rooms during unloading – boxes labelled with their destination room go straight to the right place.

Does moving to Germany require customs clearance?

No. Poland and Germany are both in the European Union, so we transport furniture and personal belongings without duty or declarations.

Can I register before my belongings are moved?

Registration applies from the day you actually start living there. It's still worth booking the appointment early, though.

On which days do you deliver in Germany?

Usually on working days, as heavy vehicles are banned from German roads on Sundays and public holidays.

Which regions of Germany do you cover?

All of them – from Saxony and Berlin, through Hamburg and the Rhineland, to Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. You'll find the details of the service on our moving to Germany page.