Moving to Munich: the complete checklist — apartment, registration, authorities, arriving

A move to Munich is far more than transporting boxes: finding an apartment, registering your address, dealing with the authorities, organising school or childcare, signing contracts — and, in the end, truly arriving. This checklist guides you step by step through all the stages, in a sensible order. It is meant for everyone who is new to the city: from abroad, from another German region or from the surrounding area.

The most important advice first: Munich is not a market you handle on the side. If you plan early and take the steps in the right order, you spare yourself most of the typical pitfalls.

The checklist at a glance

Before the move — plan, clarify notice periods, set budget and neighbourhoods
The apartment — the hardest step, therefore first
Registration and authorities — address, residence, tax ID and more
Family — school, childcare and everyone arriving well
Finances and contracts — account, utilities, insurance
Arriving — turning an apartment into a home

1. Before the move: planning and timing

Much is decided before the first box is packed. Clarify early:

Notice periods for your current apartment and a realistic desired move-in date
Budget including the deposit (usually three months’ basic rent) and moving costs
Neighbourhood research — where do commute, schools and lifestyle fit together
Prepare documents — a complete application file later decides how fast you can move
Book appointments ahead — expect waiting times for registration, internet and the move itself

If you are coming from abroad, you should additionally check which residence and work-permit steps are necessary — and in which order they need to take effect.

2. The apartment: the hardest step first

In Munich, the housing search is almost always the most critical point. Attractive rental apartments often draw more than a hundred applicants, and good listings are offline again within minutes. Three things count: a complete application file, speed, and access to properties that are never publicly listed.

How to prevail in this competition is covered in detail in our article on the Munich housing search. And if you would rather not tackle this step alone, it is precisely the heart of what we do — more on Your new home in Munich.

Finding an apartment is one thing. Finding a home is quite another.

3. Registration and authorities

As soon as you have an apartment, the authorities part begins. In Germany there is a statutory registration deadline of two weeks after moving in — do not miss it. This usually includes:

Address registration at the Bürgerbüro or KVR, with an appointment and the landlord’s confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)
Residence title, visa and work permit — for everyone moving in from abroad
Family reunification, if the family follows later
Tax identification number — a prerequisite for salary and much more
Driving licence and car — conversion and registration or re-registration
Child benefit, if children are moving with you

The registration is manageable but tricky: without an appointment little happens, and if one document is missing, the game starts over. We prepare everything and accompany you to the appointments — see the authorities services on Your new home in Munich.

4. Family: school, childcare and arriving

A move only succeeds if it succeeds for the whole family. School and childcare places in particular are scarce in Munich and should be tackled early:

School search — state, private and international schools, including enrolment
Childcare and kindergarten place — the often difficult search and the formalities
Orientation for everyone — clubs, leisure and the right local points of contact

If you are moving for professional reasons and your employer covers the relocation, it is worth looking at our services for employers and global mobility — many companies cover exactly these steps for their new employees.

5. Finances, insurance and contracts

The everyday contracts run in parallel to the authorities. Think of:

Bank account — a prerequisite for rent, salary and contracts
Electricity, gas and internet — cancel or sign up in good time (internet often has lead time)
Insurance — personal liability and household contents first; if needed, we refer you to independent advice
Broadcasting fee — to be registered per household

6. Arriving: turning an apartment into a home

With the move-in, the practical part is done — the real one only begins. Feeling at home in a new city takes orientation and time: the nearest shops, a doctor, the fastest way to work, the first familiar faces in the neighbourhood. Exactly this settling-in is the difference between moving and truly arriving.

If you would rather not do it all alone

This list shows how much comes together — and why so many people get support. As a Munich relocation agency, we take as much off your shoulders as you wish: from the housing search through the authorities to arriving, personally and in four languages.

Munich can be tough. No one should face that alone.

Tell us about your move — a first conversation is free and without obligation.

Frequently asked questions

How quickly do I have to register in Munich? Within two weeks of moving in. Because of the waiting times, you should book a slot for the appointment at the Bürgerbüro or KVR early.

In what order should I proceed? First the apartment, then the registration (it requires an address), account and contracts in parallel, and school and childcare as early as possible, because places there are scarce.

Is support worth it if I already speak German? Often yes — the bottleneck is rarely the language, but the competitive housing market and the pace. That is exactly where market access, network and preparation help the most.