# Meldeschein — guest registration in Germany

In Germany, accommodation providers must have foreign guests fill in and sign a registration form, the **besonderer Meldeschein** (§§ 29–30 Bundesmeldegesetz). German citizens are exempt. The guest portal collects everything online as part of the check-in, so there is no paper at the door.

## When it applies

Per property (**Settings → Properties → Settings → Meldeschein**):

- **Automatic** (default) — collected for properties with country **DE** when the lead guest is **not German**.
- **Always collect** — for every guest.
- **Never** — switched off.

## What the guest fills in

On top of the normal check-in:

- date of birth, nationality, full home address,
- ID document type and number,
- co-travellers: spouse/registered partner and minor children may be given **by number only**; every other co-traveller needs name, date of birth, nationality and ID document,
- a **signature** on the screen and the confirmation that the data is correct.

Phone and email are not part of the legal form. With the **EU Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet** ([myeudi.app](https://myeudi.app)) name, date of birth and nationality are filled in automatically and marked as verified — the signature is still given in the portal. See [EUDI Wallet check-in](/docs/eudi-wallet-check-in).

![The online check-in form on the guest's phone](/site/img/docs/m-checkin-form.webp "The online check-in form on the guest's phone")

## Print or save the form

Open the booking → **Online check-in** → **Meldeschein (print / PDF)**. The form is bilingual (German/English) and contains the signature image. Print it or save it as PDF from the browser's print dialog. Add `?lang=de` or `?lang=en` to the address for a single-language version.

## Retention and deletion

The forms must be kept for **one year from departure** and destroyed within three months afterwards (§ 30 (4) BMG). The guest portal deletes the registration data, signature and ID photos automatically **one year and seven days after departure**. Name and nationality remain on the booking; the booking shows *Registration data was deleted after the legal retention period*.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does my town also need the Kurtaxe?

Often yes — many German towns combine the Meldeschein with the Kurtaxe or Gästebeitrag. Create the town's tax as described in [Tourist taxes](/docs/tourist-taxes).

### Can I send the data to the town electronically?

Not yet. Some municipalities offer their own online systems; print or save the forms until an interface is available.