Steuer-ID in Germany: The Complete Guide to Your Tax ID Number (2026)

Last checked: June 2026. Processing times and contact details for the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern (BZSt) can change. Always confirm current details on bzst.de before relying on them.

If you are starting a Werkstudent job in Germany, one document decides whether your first paycheck gets taxed correctly or not: the Steuer-ID. It is not optional, it is not something you apply for in the normal sense, and it is easy to confuse with two other numbers that sound almost identical.

This guide covers what the Steuer-ID actually is, how and when you get it, where to find it if you already have one, and exactly what to do if it hasn't shown up yet.

What the Steuer-ID Is (and Why Your Employer Needs It)

The Steuer-ID, short for Steuer-Identifikationsnummer or IdNr., is an 11-digit number issued by the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern (BZSt), Germany's federal tax authority. Every person registered as a resident of Germany gets one, automatically, once.

It is what's called a "nichtsprechende Nummer", a non-speaking number. Unlike some ID numbers, it does not encode your birth date, your region, or anything else about you. It is just a unique identifier, and it stays with you for life. Move cities, change your name after marriage, switch jobs as many times as you want: the number never changes.

For a Werkstudent job specifically, your employer needs your Steuer-ID to look up your Steuerklasse (tax class) in the ELStAM system, the electronic database that tells payroll how much income tax to withhold. No Steuer-ID means no ELStAM lookup, which means payroll defaults to the least favorable tax class until you provide it.

Steuer-ID vs Steuernummer vs Steuerklasse

These three terms get mixed up constantly, partly because the English translations all land on some version of "tax number." Here's the practical difference:

The short version: the Steuer-ID is the one your employer asks for on day one. The Steuernummer mostly matters once you start filing tax returns (see our guide to getting your tax refund as a Werkstudent) or if you ever do freelance work. The Steuerklasse is not something you choose or apply for, it's looked up automatically.

How and When You Get Your Steuer-ID

The Steuer-ID is generated automatically once your Anmeldung (address registration) has been processed by the Bürgeramt or your city's equivalent office. There is no separate application. The BZSt's system picks up your registration, generates the number if you don't already have one, and mails a letter to your registered address.

Typical timeline: 2 to 5 weeks after your Anmeldung is processed. During busy periods, particularly the start of the winter semester in September and October when a large share of international students register at once, it can take longer.

Two things worth knowing about how it arrives:

• It only comes by post. For data protection reasons, the BZSt will not tell you your Steuer-ID over the phone or by email, even if you call them directly. The letter, titled "Mitteilung über die Zuteilung der Identifikationsnummer," is the only way you receive it for the first time.

• It depends on your registered address being correct. If you haven't done your Anmeldung yet, this is the step to sort out first. See our guide to Anmeldung in Germany for how to book an appointment, or the city-specific guides for Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg.

Where to Find Your Steuer-ID If You Already Have One

Before assuming you need to request anything, check whether you already have a Steuer-ID, especially if you've lived in Germany before, even briefly as a child or during a previous stay.

Three places to check, in order of how likely they are to actually have it:

1. The original BZSt letter. Look for "Mitteilung über die Zuteilung der Identifikationsnummer" in your documents, even old ones.

2. A previous German payslip (Lohnabrechnung). If you've ever been employed in Germany, your Steuer-ID is printed on the payslip.

3. A previous Einkommensteuerbescheid. If you've filed a German tax return before, the assessment notice shows it.

One common mix-up: your Anmeldebestätigung does not contain your Steuer-ID. The Anmeldebestätigung is the confirmation slip from the Bürgeramt proving your address is registered. It's a completely separate document from the Steuer-ID letter, which comes later, by post, from the BZSt, not the Bürgeramt.

What to Do If It Hasn't Arrived Yet

If it's been less than about 5 weeks since your Anmeldung, the answer is simply: wait. This is normal processing time, and contacting the BZSt before then usually won't speed anything up.

If it's been 3 months or more with nothing, it's time to request it directly:

1. Go to the BZSt's online portal and look for the form for "erneute Mitteilung der Identifikationsnummer" (re-issuing the identification number).

2. Alternatively, send a written request to: Bundeszentralamt für Steuern, An der Küppe 1, 53225 Bonn.

3. Include your full name, date of birth, current registered address, and the date your Anmeldung was processed.

Processing for a re-issue takes up to 4 weeks, and just like the first time, the number is mailed to your registered address only. There is no way to get it faster by phone or email.

Starting Your Job Without a Steuer-ID Yet

If your start date arrives before your Steuer-ID does, you're not stuck, but you do need to tell your employer.

Give HR your date of birth, your address, and the date you completed Anmeldung. They will register you under Steuerklasse VI, the highest withholding rate, as a placeholder. This means more tax is deducted from your first paycheck(s) than you'll actually owe.

The good news: this is fully reversible. Once you hand over your Steuer-ID, your employer corrects the withholding retroactively within the same calendar year. You don't lose the over-withheld amount, it gets paid back through your salary or, at the latest, through your annual tax return.

For the full picture of everything else you need before your first payday, bank account, health insurance certificate, and enrollment certificate, see First Salary in Germany: The Working Student Checklist. For more on how Steuerklassen work for Werkstudenten, see our working student tax guide.

No Anmeldung Yet? Start There

Since the Steuer-ID only exists once your address is registered, everything in this guide assumes Anmeldung is already done or in progress. If it isn't, that's your actual first step, not the Steuer-ID.

While you wait for your Anmeldung appointment, you don't have to leave your banking on hold. Several neobanks issue a German IBAN without requiring Anmeldung first, which is useful since payroll needs your IBAN regardless of where your Steuer-ID stands. See How to Open a German Bank Account Without Anmeldung for the options.

Next Steps

Once your Steuer-ID has arrived (or you've requested a re-issue), hand it to your employer right away so they can correct your Steuerklasse before the next payroll cutoff. Then:

• Check your net salary makes sense with the Working Student Tax Calculator.

• If you've already had Steuerklasse VI applied for a few months, look into whether a tax return will recover the difference.

• Keep the BZSt letter somewhere safe. Unlike most German bureaucracy, you'll only ever receive this one once.