Before you start

Passport and residence permit or visa
Meldebescheinigung from your Anmeldung, for most traditional banks
Steuer-ID, or an undertaking to supply it once issued
A German address

Step-by-step

1
Open a digital bank account before you arrive if you can
Several German and EU digital banks open accounts without a registered German address, solving the problem of needing an account before the Anmeldung. It gives you a German IBAN for the deposit and first rent.
OnlineWho: YouBefore arrival
2
Open a traditional account once registered
Worth having alongside — some landlords, employers and public bodies remain more comfortable with an established institution.
In personWho: You
3
Request your Schufa report early
You are entitled to one free data copy per year under GDPR, and landlords expect a Schufa-Auskunft with every application. A newcomer's is nearly empty — request it early so it is ready when a viewing appears.
OnlineWho: YouMonth 1
4
Know the deposit rules before signing
German law caps the rental deposit at three months' cold rent, requires it held separately from the landlord's assets earning interest for you, and permits payment in three monthly instalments.
In personWho: You
5
Build a Schufa record deliberately
A mobile contract, a registered address and an account in good standing all populate the file. Avoid opening several credit products at once, which reads poorly on a thin file.
OnlineWho: You
6
Set up SEPA direct debits
Rent, health insurance, the Rundfunkbeitrag and utilities all run on direct debit here. Get the mandates in place early to avoid a cascade of reminder letters.
Mobile appWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport and residence permit
Meldebescheinigung
Steuer-ID once issued
Employment contract, which some banks request
Proof of German address

Things most newcomers don’t know

A thin Schufa file costs you far less in Cologne than in Munich.

The Schufa problem is federal and identical everywhere, but its consequence scales with how competitive the rental market is. In Munich, dozens of applicants per viewing let a landlord be arbitrary and an empty file disqualifies you. In Cologne, with lower rents and less competition, landlords are considerably more willing to accept an employer letter instead.

Source: community-reported

The deposit is capped at three months and payable in instalments.

German law limits a rental security deposit to three months' cold rent, requires it held apart from the landlord's assets earning interest for the tenant, and gives the tenant the right to pay in three monthly instalments. Landlords rarely volunteer the instalment right.

Source: Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch, §551

You are entitled to a free Schufa data copy every year.

Under data protection law you can request a full copy of your data at no charge. Schufa also sells a certificate marketed at landlords, but the free version contains the same information and many landlords accept it.

Source: Schufa — data copy under Art. 15 GDPR

Germany runs on direct debit, not on cards.

Rent, insurance, utilities and the broadcasting fee are collected by SEPA direct debit. Cards are far less central than in the US or UK and many Cologne breweries and smaller places still prefer cash outright.

Source: community-reported