Registering your address in Vienna (Meldezettel)
How to register your home address in Vienna within three days of moving in, which documents to bring, who signs the Meldezettel form, and what the registration confirmation is used for afterwards.
- Applies to
- Everyone who moves into a flat or house in Vienna, whatever their citizenship, including children. It applies to Austrian, EU and non-EU citizens alike.
- Effort
- Low effort
- Time needed
- Usually one visit; walk-in mornings or a booked afternoon slot
- Cost
- Registration is free of charge.
- When
- Within three days of moving in; registering before you move in is not allowed
- Where
- Vienna, Austria
On this page
In Austria, everyone who moves into accommodation must register the address with the registration authority (Meldebehörde). The record goes into the Central Register of Residents (Zentrales Melderegister). The form you use is called the Meldezettel, and many people also use that word for the confirmation you get afterwards.
In Vienna, you register at a Meldeservice in one of the district offices (Magistratische Bezirksämter). You can go to any Meldeservice, not only the one in your district. Registration is free.
The deadline is short: within three days of moving in. The City of Vienna points out that the deadline runs from the day you move in, not from the day you sign the lease or receive the keys, and that registering before you move in is not allowed.
Before you start
A home in Vienna that you have actually moved into A Meldezettel form signed by the person who provides the accommodation (Unterkunftgeber)
Documents you need
- required
Completed Meldezettel signed by you and the Unterkunftgeber
- required
Passport or other travel document (foreign citizens must always bring one)
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can also use a national ID card
- optional
Birth certificate
The city lists it as an example of a personal document showing your full name and place of birth
- optional
Marriage or partnership certificate
If your name changed through marriage
- optional
Rental or purchase contract
The office may ask for it, for example if details do not match
Step by step
Step 1: Get the Meldezettel form signed
Download the form from the City of Vienna's registration page or pick it up at a Meldeservice. Fill it in completely. It must be signed by you and by the Unterkunftgeber, the person who provides the accommodation:
- If you rent as main tenant, the owner or property management signs.
- If you live with someone who is the main tenant, that person signs for you.
- If you own the flat and live in it, you sign twice.
Ask for the signature before you move in, ideally when you sign the lease.
Step 2: Collect your documents
Foreign citizens must always bring a passport or other travel document. The city also asks for documents that show your family name, given names, birth name, date and place of birth, sex and citizenship, such as a birth certificate. Bring the award certificate if you want an academic title recorded, and proof of custody when you register children (for example the child's birth certificate and your marriage certificate). Bring originals or certified copies.
Step 3: Go to a Meldeservice
Meldeservice offices are open for walk-in visits Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 11:30. In the afternoons (12:00 to 15:30, Thursdays until 17:30) you need an online appointment. The city publishes current waiting times on its website. Someone else can bring your documents for you, and they do not need a power of attorney; you can also register by post with originals or certified copies, but not by fax.
Step 4: Keep the confirmation
After checking your documents, the office enters your address in the Central Register of Residents and gives you a confirmation of registration (Bestätigung der Meldung). Keep it safe. You will be asked for it when opening a bank account, at MA 35 and for many other procedures. A separate Meldebestätigung can be requested later if you need a fresh copy.
Main residence and other residences
Your main residence (Hauptwohnsitz) is the place that is the centre of your life. Any other place where you also live must be registered as a further residence (weiterer Wohnsitz, also called Nebenwohnsitz). Registering a new main residence automatically deregisters the old one, unless you change the old one to a further residence. Your main residence matters later: for example, the Wiener Wohn-Ticket for municipal housing usually requires two years of main residence in Vienna, and free kindergarten requires a main residence in Vienna.
What registration triggers
- Next steps for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens. In Vienna you register your address first and then book an appointment with MA 35 for the registration certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung), which is due within four months of entry. See EU citizens in Austria.
- Residence permits. The residence authority and other offices use your registration; keep the confirmation for permit renewals.
- ORF contribution. The broadcasting contribution (ORF-Beitrag) is charged per main residence: €15.30 a month for private households (rate published by oesterreich.gv.at, 2026). Changes are reported to the ORF-Beitrags Service (OBS).
- ID Austria. A registration confirmation is one of the documents that shows a connection to Austria when foreign citizens apply for ID Austria.
Moving within Vienna or leaving Austria
When you move within Austria, you register at the new address within three days; this ends the old main residence. Adults who already hold an ID Austria or EU login can register later moves online through the federal portal, but not their first registration in Austria. When you leave Austria for good, deregister your residence; with ID Austria this can also be done online through the federal portal.
Exceptions
You do not need to register if you stay with relatives or friends for less than two months and are already registered elsewhere in Austria, or for a temporary hospital stay. Diplomats and staff of international organisations with a valid ID from their organisation are also exempt.
Watch out
Registering after the three-day deadline, or not registering, is an administrative offence. The Meldeservice can also register a person officially if they fail to do so.
Registering at an address where you do not actually live is not allowed. Be cautious if a landlord refuses to sign the Meldezettel.
Common mistakes
Waiting to register until you find a permanent flat. Register where you live now and re-register when you move. Bringing an unsigned form. Without the Unterkunftgeber's signature the office cannot register you. Forgetting the passport. For foreign citizens a travel document is always required.
Tips
Go in the morning on a weekday for a walk-in visit, or book an afternoon slot online to avoid queues. Ask your landlord in writing, before you sign a lease, whether you can register a main residence at the address. Make a few copies of your registration confirmation for banks, employers and schools.
Frequently asked questions
Editorial answers written by our team, based on the sources below.
Do EU citizens also need a Meldezettel?
Yes. Registration applies to everyone staying in Austria, regardless of citizenship. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens staying longer than three months additionally apply for a registration certificate at MA 35.
Can I register online?
Only if it is not your first registration in Austria. Adults with ID Austria or an EU login can register later moves online. Your first registration from abroad is done in person, by representative or by post.
My landlord refuses to sign the form. What can I do?
The main tenant or owner must sign as Unterkunftgeber. If a landlord refuses, ask why in writing and get advice, for example from the city's free tenant advice service MieterHilfe. An arrangement where you cannot register can indicate an informal or illegal letting.
Official links
In your plan
Register your address at a Meldeservice Apply for your registration certificate (Anmeldebescheinigung) Make sure you can register at your first address Collect birth and marriage certificates with apostilles and translations Check what free movement means for you in Austria Find a long-term home and check the lease
Sources
Written and checked by HomiStart editorial against the official sources below. Next scheduled check: 5 Feb 2027.
- Stadt WienOfficial sourceAnmelden eines Wohnsitzes
(Opens {{site}} in a new tab) Accessed 8 Oct 2026 - Stadt WienOfficial sourceMeldeservice
(Opens {{site}} in a new tab) Accessed 8 Oct 2026 - Stadt WienOfficial sourceMeldeservice – Standorte und Termine
(Opens {{site}} in a new tab) Accessed 8 Oct 2026 - Stadt Wien – MA 35Official sourceAnmeldebescheinigung für EWR-Bürger*innen und Schweizer*innen
(Opens {{site}} in a new tab) Accessed 8 Oct 2026 - oesterreich.gv.atOfficial sourceORF-Beitrag
(Opens {{site}} in a new tab) Accessed 8 Oct 2026 - ID Austria (Bundesministerium für Inneres / BMF)Official sourceUnterschiede in der Beantragung einer ID Austria
(Opens {{site}} in a new tab) Accessed 8 Oct 2026 - Wohnservice Wien GmbH – Wohnberatung WienOfficial sourceWiener Wohn-Ticket (Folder, Stand März 2026)
(Opens {{site}} in a new tab) Accessed 8 Oct 2026 - Stadt Wien – MieterHilfeOfficial sourceMieterHilfe
(Opens {{site}} in a new tab) Accessed 8 Oct 2026 - oesterreich.gv.atOfficial sourceResidence registration
(Opens {{site}} in a new tab) Accessed 8 Oct 2026Online registration and deregistration with ID Austria or EU Login; only for people already registered in Austria.