Apply for a housing entitlement certificate
You need a housing entitlement certificate to be able to move into a subsidised and tied social rented flat. You must hand it over to the landlord or landlady when you move into a social rented flat. The Wohnberechtigungsschein also applies to your household members.
The Wohnberechtigungsschein only gives you the opportunity to sign a tenancy agreement for a social rented flat. It does not entitle you to a social rented flat.
Prerequisite
- You are looking for accommodation.
- You and your household members do not exceed the relevant income limit.
The annual income is calculated separately for each person belonging to the household.
The annual income includes, regardless of whether this income is taxable or tax-exempt:
- in the case of non-self-employed work, the gross annual earnings less the income-related expenses recognised for tax purposes
- in the case of self-employment, also in agriculture and forestry or in a business enterprise, the tax-recognised profit
- in the case of renting and leasing as well as capital assets, the excess of the income over the tax-recognised income-related expenses
- Income from pensions and annuities less tax-recognised income-related expenses
- tax-exempt income, e.g. unemployment benefit, short-time allowance, transitional allowance, insolvency allowance, integration assistance and benefits to secure subsistence under the Second Book of the Social Code ("Hartz IV")
In the case of single parents, the annual income is to be reduced by the tax relief amount if their household includes at least one child for whom they are entitled to an allowance or child benefit.
Note: In the case of legal maintenance obligations, separation or divorce maintenance, as well as child maintenance:
- in the case of the recipient of maintenance, as income in the full amount in each case
- in the case of the person liable to pay maintenance, child maintenance up to € 3000 per year per child and separation or divorce maintenance up to € 6000 per year
are to be taken into account.
For the total income of the household, the annual incomes of the individual household members are added together.
Responsible department
- the municipality/city administration of the place where you usually stay.
- if you do not usually stay in Baden-Württemberg: the municipality in which you want to live
Procedure
You must apply for the housing entitlement certificate at the responsible municipality.
Please usethe prescribed form. You can obtain this from the municipality. Depending on what they offer, you can also download it from the internet or apply online.
Tip: It is best to apply for the Wohnberechtigungsschein in person. This way you can also clarify directly which documents you need to submit in your case.
Deadlines
None
Required documents
Varies depending on the individual case, especially:
- Identity card
- Proof of income of all persons who want to move into the flat, e.g.
- Salary statement(s) including proof of special allowances
- most recent income tax assessment notice or most recent income tax return
- in the case of self-employed persons: the last income surplus statement
Costs
depending on the municipal administrative fee statutes
Miscellaneous
None
Appeal
You will find further information in your notification.
Legal basis
Landeswohnraumförderungsgesetz (LWoFG):
- § 1 Anwendungsbereich, Zweck und Zielgruppen
- § 12 Einkommen
- § 15 Überlassung von Mietwohnraum
Einkommensteuergesetz (EStG):
- § 3 Nummer 2 Steuerfreie Einnahmen
- § 24 b Entlastungsbetrag für Alleinerziehende
- § 32 Absatz 6 Kinder, Freibeträge für Kinder
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Ministerium für Landesentwicklung und Wohnen Baden-Württemberg, 03.03.2025