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Social security number in Germany - How to get it and why you need it

Jana Koehler

Getting your German social security number is an important step if you have just come to Germany with an EU Blue Card or a work visa. This 12-digit number is also known as "Sozialversicherungsnummer'' or "Rentenversicherungsnummer” and is a unique identifier that is crucial for tracking your social security contributions as an employee and also for accessing various social benefits in Germany.

In this guide, we will explain how to get your social insurance number from the German public pension office and everything else you need to know about the German social security number.

What is the social security number and why do I need it?

The social security number is essential when you take up a new job in Germany. Your employer needs your social security number or social security card to issue your payroll and deduct mandatory social security contributions for you. That’s why they will usually ask for it before or on your first day of work.

Mandatory social security contributions for employees in Germany include

  • health insurance (“Krankenversicherung”),

  • pension insurance (“Rentenversicherung”),

  • nursing care (“Pflegeversicherung”),

  • accident insurance(“Unfallversicherung”) and

  • unemployment insurance (“Arbeitslosenversicherung”).

Social security contributions are deducted from your monthly paycheck by your employer and paid directly to the responsible German institutions. The only exception is if you have private health insurance. In this case, you will have to pay the health insurance fees yourself. However, all other contributions will still be paid by your employer. You can read more about health insurance in Germany in this article.

What the social security number looks like

The social security number is a 12-digit number that is determined individually for each insured person. It is valid for a lifetime, but may change if you move to a new city or change your last name.

This is what your social insurance number could look like: 25 170839 A 50 5

  • Digits 1 and 2 of the social security number (XX) indicate the area number of the responsible pension insurance provider. 25 stands for Berlin.

  • Digits 3 to 8 of the social security number (DDMMYYY) indicate the insured person's date of birth. 070892 means the insured person was born on 07th August 1982.

  • Digit 9 of the social security number stands for the first letter of the birth name. In this case the letter “A”.

  • Digits 10 and 11 of the social security number (YY) provide information about the gender of the insured person. The numbers 00-49 are used for male persons, the numbers 50-99 are used for female persons or persons of indeterminate gender. In this case, the number 50 indicates that the insured person is either female or of indeterminate gender.

  • Digit 12 is a check digit that is automatically assigned by the system to distinguish you from people with the same name and date of birth.

It's important to note that your social security number is distinct from your tax ID (“Steuernummer”). The tax ID consists of 11 digits and is issued by the German tax office.

How to get your social security number as an employee in Germany

The social security number is issued by the German public pension office “Deutsche Rentenversicherung”, also known as “DRV”. If you just moved to Germany to take up a new job, for instance on an EU Blue Card, the way you get your social security number depends on your health insurance status:

If you have public health insurance, the social security number is usually sent to you via post after applying for public health insurance and completing your city registration (“Anmeldung”) in Germany. In case you have not received it, take a look at your health insurance membership confirmation which usually includes your social security number or contact the German public pension fund yourself (see information below).

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If you have private health insurance, it's necessary to take the initiative yourself and ask the German public pension fund to issue you a social security number. For this, you can either send an email to your regional German public pension fund office or go to a local branch and get your social security number on the same day. You can find the list and contact data of regional offices here. In both cases, you need to include a copy of your passport and a confirmation of your city registration (“Anmeldung” or “Meldebescheinigung”).

An alternative would be to ask your employer or health insurance broker to assist you with this.

🕒 Average waiting time to get your social security ID: 1 - 6 weeks, in most cases under 2 weeks

How to get your social security number as a student in Germany

If you just moved to Germany on a student visa, this social security number is not issued to you automatically. You only need a social security number if you plan on taking up a job, for instance as a working student or part time help. If that is the case, you can either send an email to your regional German public pension fund office or go to a local branch to get your social security number. You can find the list and contact data of regional offices here. In both cases, make sure have a copy of your passport and confirmation of city registration (“Anmeldung” or “Meldebescheinigung”) at hand.

Where to find your social security number

When you are issued a social security number for the first time, you will receive a letter by the German public pension fund (“Deutsche Rentenversicherung”) that includes your social security card.

Example of German social insurance card*

You will then receive a yearly letter by the German public pension office with an overview of your public pension contributions. This letter also includes your social security ID, usually on the top left corner.

If you have already been employed in Germany in the past, you can also find your social security number on your payslips (“Gehaltsabrechnung”) or yearly summary of social security contributions (“Meldebescheinigung zur Sozialversicherung”) issued by your employer. Look for abbreviations such as "SVNR," "RV," or "RNVR" on the payslip.

How to contact the German public pension office (“Deutsche Rentenversicherung”)

If you have lost your social insurance card or have questions about your public pension, you can contact the German pension insurance directly. This link will take you to the English website of the German public pension office. Unfortunately, the information in English is very limited and most connecting links will take you to German websites. Same goes for their free hotline where you will only be greeted in German language. So it’s best to work with a translator or ask a German speaking friend or colleague to help you out.

If you want to go to one of their regional offices, you can find the list and contact data of regional offices of the German public pension office here.

To start working in Germany, you will also need a bank account and a German tax id. This article will give you a full overview of these steps.

Important note: Our HalloGermany articles are written with utmost care to explain careers and paperwork in Germany. However, please note that the content presented here does neither constitute nor replace any form of legal advice. We highly recommend consulting a lawyer for any legal concerns you may have.

*Image source: Deutsche Rentenversicherung - Sozialversicherungsausweis: https://www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de/DRV/DE/Rente/Allgemeine-Informationen/Sozialversicherungsausweis/Sozialversicherungsausweis.html

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