Register of residents - apply for information blocking

With an information block, you can ensure that your municipality of residence only provides information on your data (e.g. name, address) in strictly limited exceptional cases.

Tip: You only want to prevent your data from being passed on to

  • Address book publishers
  • Press, radio and elected representatives for the publication of anniversaries of age and marriage
  • Political parties, voter groups and other organisers of election proposals in elections and votes
  • the German Armed Forces

In these cases, it is sufficient for you to lodge an objection to the provision of information with your municipality of residence. No justification or legitimate interest is required for such an objection.

Related forms and processes

Prerequisite

You must prove that you have a legitimate interest in refusing to provide information about yourself from the register of residents. This is the case, for example, in the case of protection against a danger to life, health, personal freedom or similar interests worthy of protection.

Responsible department

the registration office of your place of residence

The registration authority is

  • the municipal/city administration of your place of residence or
  • the administrative community or the municipality that fulfils the tasks of the registration authority for your municipality of residence.

Procedure

You can apply for the information block in writing or in person at the registration office in your place of residence. You must provide credible evidence of your legitimate interest.

Note: If the registration authority saves an information block according to § 51 BMG in the registration register (or cancels an information block), it must immediately inform the last previous registration authority and the registration authorities responsible for other residences. These registration authorities must immediately store the information block in accordance with § 51 BMG in the population register and delete it if it is cancelled (§ 33 Paragraph 4 BMG).

Once an information block has been entered, the registration authority may only provide information if a risk to you can be ruled out. You will be heard before the information is provided.

Deadlines

None

Required documents

The registration office may request the following documents:

  • Identity card or passport
    in the case of a written application: Copy of the passport or identity card
  • in individual cases also documents to substantiate the legitimate interest

Costs

for the entry of the information block: none

Note: The registration authority may charge a fee for refusing to block information.

Processing time

Usually two to twelve weeks. See also under Notes.

Miscellaneous

The information block is entered in the register of residents for a limited period of up to two years. You can apply for an extension.

There are no temporary information blocks under the Federal Registration Act. In order to provide the person concerned with a level of protection from the time the application is made, the registration authorities must enter a block on information as a precautionary measure at the time the application is made, unless it can be ruled out in exceptional cases that the conditions for entering a block on information in accordance with Section 51 (1) sentence 1 BMG are met and the verification procedure has not yet been completed.

Appeal

According to the prevailing opinion, the person concerned must file a compulsory action in the event of a refusal to provide information.

Legal basis

Bundesmeldegesetz (BMG):

  • § 51 Auskunftssperren

Release note

machine generated, based on the German release by: Innenministerium Baden-Württemberg, 17.02.2025