Taxes · Germany
German tax ID: find your Steuer-ID
Find your Steuer-ID, distinguish it from a Steuernummer and follow the official process if your tax-ID letter has not arrived after Anmeldung.
Fabian BeiningFinanz2Go · English finance guideSources checked: 26 October 2026
Start with these three questions.
Look first
Check an existing assessment or annual wage-tax statement.
Follow registration
Check the registered address and the official postal notification.
Request notification
Use the official route if you cannot find the same number.
Steuer-ID vs Steuernummer: which tax number do you need?
The English phrase “tax number” can refer to different German identifiers. Read the original field label before copying a number from a letter.
| Label on the form | What it identifies | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Steuer-ID / IdNr. / Identifikationsnummer | Your eleven-digit personal tax identification number. It stays the same for life. | The BZSt notification, a previous income-tax assessment or annual wage-tax statement. |
| Steuernummer | A separate number assigned by a Finanzamt for a tax-processing case. It is not interchangeable with your personal IdNr. | The field marked “Steuernummer” on the relevant tax-office assessment or correspondence. |
Official explanations: ELSTER’s annotated tax-notice example and ELSTER’s explanation of the Steuernummer.
Example: an onboarding form asks for “Identifikationsnummer”, but your tax letter shows both IdNr. and Steuernummer. Use the field explicitly labelled IdNr.; do not choose a number just because it appears first. If a form only says “tax number”, ask the recipient which identifier is required.
Starting a business or freelance activity introduces a separate registration process. ELSTER explains the questionnaire for tax registration and the business Steuernummer. A request to resend your personal tax ID does not replace that process.
First, look in the paperwork you already have.
Check a previous income-tax assessment or your annual income-tax statement. Look for a label such as “Identifikationsnummer” or “IdNr”. Keep a secure copy once you find it; this is personal information, not a number to post in a comment or send to a general information website.
New to Germany? Follow the registration trail.
The registration authorities pass the relevant data to the Federal Central Tax Office, the BZSt. The number is normally notified by post to your registered address. Your first step is therefore to check the address and your incoming mail, rather than paying someone to obtain a second tax ID.
If you are arranging your first registration, follow the Anmeldung guide for Germany. It explains the local process, the housing confirmation and how registration connects to your tax ID.
Your address
Check that your official registration details are correct.
Your mail
Look for the official notification at that address.
Existing documents
A previous tax assessment or annual statement may already show it.
A repeat notification
Use the official BZSt service if the number cannot be found.
Tax ID not received after Anmeldung: what next?
The official administrative guidance says to make a written enquiry to the BZSt if the notification is still missing after three months. For a lost number, use the official repeat-notification service. The response is sent by post; the number is not supplied by telephone or email. The government service is free.
Need it for a job starting soon? Tell the payroll team exactly what is missing and ask which official process applies to your case. Do not substitute an unrelated identifier just to complete the field.
Your missing-letter checklist
- Confirm the registered name and address with your registration records; check that post can reach you there.
- Look for an existing IdNr. on earlier tax documents. Moving does not create a new number.
- If the first notification is still missing after three months, follow the BZSt’s official enquiry guidance.
- If payroll needs the number sooner, contact your employer’s payroll team with the registration date and the status of your enquiry.
Keep the registration confirmation and any enquiry reference together. Finanz2Go does not collect tax IDs or submit enquiries for you.
Do you get a new tax ID when you move?
No. The number does not change because you move home or get married. German law provides that a person may not receive more than one identification number and that each number may be assigned only once.
A quick check before you submit anything
- 01Read the exact field label on the form.
- 02Check that the document actually labels the number as your IdNr.
- 03Use the government service linked below if another notification is needed.
- 04Share the number only through an appropriate, secure channel.
Common questions about German tax numbers
Can I look up my tax ID online instantly?
The official service lets you request another notification. It does not provide an instant public lookup of your number. Follow the BZSt’s delivery instructions.
Does requesting my tax ID cost anything?
The official government notification service is free. A commercial intermediary is a separate service and is not required to use the government route.
Is my Steuer-ID the same as my Steuernummer?
No. The personal IdNr. and the Finanzamt’s Steuernummer are different identifiers. Match the exact field label on the form.
Getting established? Continue with bank-account documents, how German income tax works and preparing a tax return.
Official sources
- ELSTER: identifying the Steuernummer on a tax notice — checked 26 October 2026.
- Federal Central Tax Office: tax identification number – official overview; checked 26 October 2026.
- Hessian administrative portal: obtaining and requesting notification of a tax ID – procedure, cost, notification and waiting-period guidance; checked 26 October 2026.
- German Fiscal Code, section 139b – assignment and registration-data rules; checked 26 October 2026.
This guide explains the general process. It does not check your records, handle an application or provide individual tax advice. Do not enter your tax ID on Finanz2Go.
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