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Getting a housing eligibility certificate (WBS) for social housing in Berlin

What the Wohnberechtigungsschein is, who can get one in Berlin, the income limits behind WBS 100 to WBS 220 in 2026, how to apply online or by post, and how to use it with the state-owned housing companies.

Checked 5 Oct 2026
Applies to
Households in Berlin, or moving to Berlin, whose income is below the social-housing limits and who want to rent a publicly subsidised flat. You need German or EU citizenship, or a residence permit valid for at least one year, and you must be at least 18. Not useful if your income is clearly above the WBS 220 limit for your household size.
Effort
Medium effort
Time needed
1–2 hours to collect documents and fill in the forms; processing time varies by district
Cost
Free of charge (Berlin, 2026)
When
Apply before you start applying for WBS flats. A WBS is usually valid for one year, so renew it if your search takes longer.
Where
Berlin, Germany
On this page
  1. Overview
  2. Before you start
  3. Documents you need
  4. Step by step
  5. WBS levels and income limits (2026)
  6. How your income is counted
  7. Special housing need (besonderer Wohnbedarf)
  8. Using your WBS with Berlin's state-owned housing companies
  9. Help with the rent in social housing
  10. Watch out
  11. Common mistakes
  12. Tips
  13. Frequently asked questions
  14. Official links
  15. In your plan
  16. Sources
  17. Related guides

A housing eligibility certificate (Wohnberechtigungsschein, WBS) is an official confirmation that your household's income is low enough to rent a publicly subsidised flat (Sozialwohnung, social housing). Landlords of these flats, including Berlin's state-owned housing companies, may only let them to tenants with a matching WBS.

The WBS itself is free and is issued by the housing office (Wohnungsamt) of a Berlin district. It does not give you a flat. It only makes you eligible to apply for the share of flats that are reserved for WBS holders, which in Berlin is substantial: the state-owned companies must let 63% of the flats they re-let each year to WBS-eligible households.

Berlin issues different WBS levels (WBS 100, 140, 160, 180 and 220), depending on how far your income is above or below the federal income limit. This guide explains the levels, how income is counted and how to apply.

Before you start

  • German or EU citizenship, or a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) valid for at least one year
  • You are at least 18 and intend to live in Berlin for a longer period, not just temporarily
  • Recent proof of income for every adult in the household

Documents you need

  • WBS application form (Antrag auf einen Wohnberechtigungsschein, BauWohn 502)

    Not needed separately if you apply through the online form.

    required

  • Income declaration (Einkommenserklärung, BauWohn 504)

    Signed by every adult in the household.

    required

  • Income certificate from your employer (Einkommensbescheinigung, BauWohn 504a) or other proof of income

    Self-employed people, students and benefit recipients provide the proof that fits their situation, such as tax assessments, BAföG or Jobcenter notices.

    required

  • Copies of the passports or ID cards of everyone in the household

    required

  • Copy of your residence permit

    Non-EU citizens only.

    optional

  • Copies of your children's birth certificates

    Plus proof of custody where relevant. From the 14th week of pregnancy, a copy of the maternity record (Mutterpass) counts the unborn child.

    optional

  • Partnership declaration (Partnerschaftserklärung, BauWohn 550)

    If you apply with a partner you are not married to.

    optional

  • Severe disability card (Schwerbehindertenausweis), both sides

    If anyone in the household has one; it can raise the income limit and the room entitlement.

    optional

  • Enrolment certificate (Semesterbescheinigung)

    For students.

    optional

Step by step

  1. Step 1: Check that you meet the basic conditions

    According to the Berlin service portal, you can get a WBS if:

    • you are a German or EU citizen, or a non-EU citizen with a residence permit valid for at least one year;
    • you are at least 18;
    • you intend to make Berlin the centre of your life for a longer period, not just a temporary stay (the portal refers to at least 11 months); and
    • your household income is within one of the income limits described below.

    If your permit has less than a year left or is about to be renewed, ask the housing office how they will treat your application before you submit it.

  2. Step 2: Estimate which WBS level you may get

    The limits are based on the federal income limit in the Housing Promotion Act (§ 9 (2) WoFG). Berlin allows higher limits for some flats, and the WBS level shows by how many percent your income may exceed the federal limit. See the section WBS levels and income limits (2026) below for the figures.

    For a quick estimate, the Senate's own WBS calculator was offline for technical updates when this guide was checked (October 2026). The Senate page points to the WBS checks of two state-owned housing companies instead, degewo and Gewobag. Their results are only an orientation; the housing office decides.

  3. Step 3: Collect your documents

    Download the forms from the service portal page, or use the online application, which replaces the paper application form. You need:

    • the income declaration (Einkommenserklärung), signed by all adults in the household;
    • an income certificate from each employer (Einkommensbescheinigung), or other proof of income;
    • copies of ID documents for everyone in the household, and residence permits for non-EU citizens;
    • documents for your situation: children's birth certificates, partnership declaration, divorce decree or death certificate if you are not single, a disability card, an enrolment certificate for students.

    The office bases its decision on the income you can expect in the 12 months from the month you apply (§ 22 WoFG), including changes that are already certain, such as a new job or the end of a contract. Give your current contracts and expected income, not just last year's.

  4. Step 4: Apply online or by post

    You have two options, and both are free:

    • Online, through the online WBS application. Upload your documents as PDF or JPG files (at most 5 MB per file and 30 MB in total).
    • On paper, by sending the forms and copies to the housing office (Wohnungsamt) or Bürgeramt of the district where you are registered.

    If you are planning to move to Berlin or within Berlin, you can apply at any Berlin housing office. The list of district housing offices is on the service portal.

    The portal does not give a standard processing time, and it varies by district. Apply before you start looking, and answer any requests for missing documents quickly.

  5. Step 5: Check the certificate when it arrives

    Your WBS states your household members, the level (for example WBS 140) and the flat size you are entitled to. As a rule, you are entitled to one room per household member. A single person may also rent a 1.5- or 2-room flat of up to 50 m².

    The WBS is usually valid for one year. If it expires before you have found a flat, apply again with updated income documents.

  6. Step 6: Search for WBS flats

    Listings say whether a WBS is required and often which level ("WBS 140 erforderlich", "WBS 180"). Good places to look:

    • inberlinwohnen.de, the joint portal of the state-owned housing companies, with a flat finder and a flat-exchange portal for existing tenants;
    • the websites of the individual companies (degewo, GESOBAU, Gewobag, HOWOGE, STADT UND LAND, WBM and berlinovo);
    • cooperatives (Genossenschaften) and private landlords who own subsidised flats, through the usual listing sites.

    Have a scan of your WBS ready with your usual application documents, and apply as soon as a suitable listing appears.

WBS levels and income limits (2026)

The federal limit in § 9 (2) WoFG is €12,000 a year for a one-person household and €18,000 for two people, plus €4,100 for each additional household member and a further €500 for each child. Berlin's levels add a percentage to this limit. The figures below are taken from the Senate's Berlin tenant guide (Berliner Mietratgeber), checked in October 2026. They apply to countable income (see the next section), not to your gross salary.

  • WBS 100 (federal limit): €12,000 for one person; €18,000 for two; plus €4,100 per extra person and €500 per child.
  • WBS 140 (up to 40% above): €16,800; €25,200; plus €5,740 per extra person and €700 per child. According to the Senate, almost all social housing requires a WBS 100 or WBS 140: a general Berlin rule (the "Berlin income limit") lets households with a WBS 140 move into social housing even though their income is above the federal limit.
  • WBS 160 (up to 60% above): €19,200; €28,800; plus €6,560 per extra person and €800 per child. Used for part of the social housing funded since the 2015 programme year with income-related subsidies.
  • WBS 180 (up to 80% above): €21,600; €32,400; plus €7,380 per extra person and €900 per child. Part of the more recently built and future social housing.
  • WBS 220 (up to 120% above): €26,400; €39,600; plus €9,020 per extra person and €1,100 per child. A smaller share of future social housing; the state-owned companies advertise it mainly for new-build flats.

Example for a couple with one child (three people, one of them a child): the WBS 100 limit is €18,000 + €4,100 + €500 = €22,600, and the WBS 140 limit is €31,640.

Because the levels are upper limits, a household with a lower level can generally also rent a flat advertised for a higher level: a WBS 140 holder can apply for a WBS 180 flat, but a WBS 180 holder cannot apply for a flat that requires WBS 140. If a listing names a level and you are unsure whether yours fits, ask the landlord before applying.

How your income is counted

The housing office does not use your gross salary directly. Simplified, it works like this:

  1. Start with the expected gross annual income of everyone in the household for the next 12 months, including, for example, unemployment benefit and sick pay. Child benefit (Kindergeld) is not counted.
  2. Deduct work-related expenses (for employees at least the standard lump sum).
  3. Deduct 10% each if the household member pays income tax, health insurance contributions and pension contributions, so up to 30% in total.
  4. Deduct allowances that apply to you, for example €4,000 for young married couples up to the end of the fifth calendar year after the wedding, €4,500 for each severely disabled person with a disability grade of 100 (or at least 80 with care needs at home), or up to €600 per child in some situations (§ 24 WoFG).

As a rough illustration only: a single employee earning €30,000 gross a year, who pays tax, health and pension contributions, ends up with countable income of roughly €20,100. That is above the WBS 160 limit for one person but within WBS 180. Your own result depends on your documents and the office's assessment.

Special housing need (besonderer Wohnbedarf)

The housing office can also recognise a special housing need, sometimes called an urgency WBS (WBS mit besonderem Wohnbedarf). The Senate's tenant guide says you normally need to have been registered in Berlin with your main residence for at least one year. Recognised situations include:

  • households with children living in overcrowded conditions (for example three people with fewer than two rooms);
  • people with a disability grade of 50 or more whose current home is unsuitable;
  • people living in emergency accommodation such as a women's shelter;
  • people over 65 who move out of a flat that has become too large;
  • people who lose their home through no fault of their own, for example by an official order;
  • Bürgergeld or social assistance recipients whom the Jobcenter or social office has asked to move.

Use the form Erklärung über persönliche Verhältnisse und Wohnverhältnisse (BauWohn 502a) and add evidence.

Using your WBS with Berlin's state-owned housing companies

Berlin owns six large housing companies, degewo, GESOBAU, Gewobag, HOWOGE, STADT UND LAND and WBM, which together managed over 360,000 flats at the end of 2023. berlinovo, also state-owned, appears alongside them on the joint portal inberlinwohnen.de.

Under the 2024 cooperation agreement (Kooperationsvereinbarung) between the state and these companies, 63% of the flats they re-let each year go to WBS-eligible households, and in principle at least half of the floor space in their new-build projects is publicly funded. This is why a WBS widens your options considerably, even though demand remains high.

Tenants of the state-owned companies who have a dispute they cannot settle with the company can contact the independent ombudsman office.

Help with the rent in social housing

If you live in a Berlin social housing flat and your gross warm rent is more than 30% of your countable income, you may be able to get a rent subsidy for social housing (Mietzuschuss in Sozialwohnungen). It is paid through the Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB) for two years at a time, and your income may exceed the federal limit by at most 55%. Housing benefit (Wohngeld) is a separate scheme that the district housing offices also handle.

Watch out

A WBS does not entitle you to any particular flat. It only lets you apply for flats that require one, and competition for them is high.

The WBS itself is free. Be very wary of anyone who asks for money to arrange a WBS or to "reserve" a WBS flat for you.

The WBS is usually valid for one year only. Landlords check that it is valid when you sign the lease.

Give complete income information for every adult in the household. Missing documents are the most common reason an application stalls.

Common mistakes

  • Comparing gross salary with the income limits. The limits apply to countable income after deductions, which is often much lower.
  • Forgetting the signatures of all adult household members on the income declaration.
  • Applying for the wrong flat size. The WBS limits the number of rooms to your household size, with the 50 m² exception for single people.
  • Letting the WBS expire during a long search and then missing a good offer.

Tips

  • Apply even if you are unsure about the level. The office calculates your income and issues the level that fits.
  • Set up search alerts on the state-owned companies' websites and on inberlinwohnen.de, and check them daily.
  • Keep a PDF of your WBS with your other application documents so you can apply within minutes.
  • Pregnancy from the 14th week counts the unborn child as a household member, which raises the income limit and room entitlement.
  • If you are unsure about your rights as a social-housing tenant, Berlin's district tenant advice services are free of charge.

Frequently asked questions

Editorial answers written by our team, based on the sources below.

Can I apply before I live in Berlin?

Yes, if you are planning to move to Berlin. The service portal says that people planning a move can apply at any Berlin housing office. You still need to meet the other conditions, including a long-term intention to live in Berlin and, for non-EU citizens, a residence permit valid for at least one year.

Can students get a WBS?

Students are not excluded; the service portal lists an enrolment certificate among the documents students provide. Your income, for example from BAföG, a job or support from your parents, is assessed like anyone else's. The housing office decides in each case.

What is the practical difference between WBS 100 and WBS 140?

Less than the numbers suggest. The Senate says almost all social housing requires a WBS 100 or WBS 140, and a general Berlin rule allows WBS 140 households to move into social housing even though their income exceeds the federal limit. If a particular listing asks for a specific level, check with the landlord whether your certificate is accepted. Higher levels (160, 180, 220) are only valid for the flats funded for those income groups.

How big a flat can I rent with a WBS?

As a rule, one room per household member. A single person may rent a 1.5- or 2-room flat of up to 50 m². Additional space can be granted, for example for a disability, for older people giving up a larger flat, or for a documented professional need.

Does the WBS cost anything?

No. The service portal lists no fees for the WBS in 2026.

In your plan

  • Find a long-term flat

Sources

Written and checked by HomiStart editorial against the official sources below. Next scheduled check: 2 Feb 2027.

  1. Land Berlin – Service-Portal BerlinOfficial source
    Wohnberechtigungsschein (WBS) beantragen (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 5 Oct 2026

    Eligibility (citizenship, residence permit valid at least one year, age 18, at least 11 months), documents, online upload limits, no fees, valid usually one year, responsible office, special housing need categories, room rules.

  2. Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung, Bauen und Wohnen BerlinOfficial source
    Berliner Mietratgeber: Wohnberechtigungsschein (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 5 Oct 2026

    WBS 100–220 definitions and income limits, income calculation (10% deductions up to 30%, allowances), room entitlement, special housing need with one year of Berlin registration.

  3. Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung, Bauen und Wohnen BerlinOfficial source
    Wohnberechtigungsschein (Senate service page) (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 5 Oct 2026

    Own WBS calculator offline for technical updates; refers to degewo and Gewobag WBS checks.

  4. Bundesministerium der Justiz – Gesetze im InternetOfficial source
    Wohnraumförderungsgesetz (WoFG) § 9 Einkommensgrenzen (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 5 Oct 2026
  5. Bundesministerium der Justiz – Gesetze im InternetOfficial source
    Wohnraumförderungsgesetz (WoFG) § 22 Zeitraum für die Ermittlung des Jahreseinkommens (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 5 Oct 2026
  6. Bundesministerium der Justiz – Gesetze im InternetOfficial source
    Wohnraumförderungsgesetz (WoFG) § 24 Freibeträge (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 5 Oct 2026
  7. Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung, Bauen und Wohnen BerlinOfficial source
    Städtische Wohnungsbaugesellschaften (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 5 Oct 2026

    Six companies, 361,636 flats at 31 Dec 2023; Kooperationsvereinbarung 2024 with 63% of re-lettings to WBS-eligible households and at least 50% publicly funded new-build floor space.

  8. Landeseigene Wohnungsbaugesellschaften Berlin
    inberlinwohnen.de – Wohnungsportal der landeseigenen Wohnungsbaugesellschaften (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 5 Oct 2026
  9. degewo AG
    WBS-Schnellcheck (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 5 Oct 2026
  10. Land Berlin – Service-Portal BerlinOfficial source
    Wohnungsämter (Berlin district housing offices) (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 5 Oct 2026
  11. Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung, Bauen und Wohnen BerlinOfficial source
    Mietzuschuss in Sozialwohnungen (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 5 Oct 2026
  12. Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung, Bauen und Wohnen BerlinOfficial source
    Mieterschutz (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 5 Oct 2026

    Free district tenant advice; ombudsman office for tenants of the state-owned companies.

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