RostockAnmeldung, bulky waste, offices & property tax
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern204,929 inhabitantsPostcodes 18055–18182 Not fully checked yet
Image: AI-generated illustration
For Rostock we show official base data (Federal Statistical Office, tax administration, municipal register). Local details such as bulky-waste fees are researched city by city – until then, the nationwide rules below apply.
00 Key facts
- Population
- 204,929
- Area
- 181.4 km²
- Postcodes
- 18055–18182 (12)
- State
- Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- Property tax B 2022
- 480 %
- Trade tax 2022
- 465 %
- Tax office
- Finanzamt Rostock
01 Registering your address in Rostock: Bürgeramt & appointment
You must register within two weeks of moving in (§ 17 BMG). Bring your passport or ID and the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung from your landlord.
Registration deadline
02 Moving to Rostock
- STEP 01Register within 2 weeksRegister your new address at Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock within two weeks of moving in. Bring your ID and the landlord's confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung).
- STEP 02Re-register your carUpdate your vehicle registration at the registration office of your district; within the same district it's often possible online.
- STEP 03Tell your tax officeYour income tax is handled by Finanzamt Rostock; the registration office usually passes your new address on automatically.
- STEP 04Parking permit for the vanApply for a temporary no-parking zone at the road traffic office of Rostock, usually 1–3 weeks before moving day.
- STEP 05Update contractsElectricity, internet, broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag), bank, insurance and health insurance – and set up mail forwarding.
03 Bulky waste & recycling centres in Rostock
In Rostock, bulky waste (Sperrmüll) is collected by the waste company of the town or district – usually after booking. Electrical appliances, paint, batteries and chemicals don't belong in household waste: take them to a recycling centre (Wertstoffhof), a hazardous-waste collection or back to the shop.
- Lever-arch files
- Old windows
- Altkleider & Schuhe
- Scrap metal
- Used engine oil
- Aluminium foil & trays
- Asbestos
- Ashes (fireplace, barbecue)
- Car battery
- Autoreifen
- Batterien & Akkus
- Bauschutt
- Plant pots
- Glasses (spectacles)
- Books
- CDs & DVDs
- Chemical toilet (camping)
- Roofing felt
- Floppy disks
- Ink cartridges & toner
- E-cigarettes & vapes
- Elektro-Kleingeräte
- Energiesparlampe / LED
- Soil & excavated earth
- Food leftovers
- Bicycle & bike tyres
- Farbe & Lack
- Window glass & mirrors
- Fernseher / Monitor
- Fire extinguisher
- Lighters
- Gas cartridges & cylinders
- Drink cartons (Tetra Pak)
- Glass & mineral wool
- Light bulbs
- Grünschnitt / Gartenabfall
- Mobile phone
- Helium canister (balloon gas)
- Wood & old timber
- Cat litter
- Pillows & duvets
- Clothes hangers
- Toilet seat
- Suitcases
- Bank statements & personal papers
- Bottle caps & lids
- Kühlschrank / Gefriertruhe
- Laminate flooring
- Matratze
- Medikamente
- Knives & scissors
- Nail polish & remover
- Cardboard & egg boxes
- Pans & pots
- Porcelain, crockery & drinking glasses
- Power bank
- Plasterboard
- X-ray films
- Wood-wool boards
- Vinyl records
- Foam
- Schrank / Möbel
- Shoes
- Sofa / Couch
- Cooking oil & frying fat
- Spray cans
- Polystyrene (Styropor)
- Wallpaper
- Teppich
- Dry ice
- Video & audio cassettes
- Waschmaschine / Trockner
- Christmas tree
- Heating-oil tank
04 Offices in Rostock: tax office (Finanzamt) & town hall
Tax office (Finanzamt)
Opening hours
Zentrale Informations- und Annahmestelle (ZIA)
Mon 09:00–12:00 Tue 09:00–12:00, 14:00–17:00 Thu–Fri 09:00–12:00 Tax office (Finanzamt)
Opening hours
Zentrale Informations- und Annahmestelle (ZIA)
Mon 09:00–12:00 Tue 09:00–12:00, 14:00–17:00 Thu–Fri 09:00–12:00 City administration
05 Property tax rate in Rostock
Calculation model federal model
| Year | A | B | B residential | B non-residential | Trade tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 300 % | 480 % | — | — | 465 % |
Property tax (Grundsteuer) is calculated as assessed base amount (Grundsteuermessbetrag, shown on the notice from your tax office) × the local rate (Hebesatz). In Rostock the rate for residential and commercial property (Grundsteuer B) was 480 % in 2022; for farmland and forestry (Grundsteuer A) it was 300 %.
| Base amount (Messbetrag) | Property tax per year in Rostock | Per quarter |
|---|---|---|
| €30 | €144 | €36 |
| €60 | €288 | €72 |
| €120 | €576 | €144 |
The rate was 80 points above the median in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (400 %). The rate was 100 points above the median in Germany (380 %).
Businesses in Rostock pay trade tax (Gewerbesteuer) at a rate of 465 %; the tax is the trade-tax base amount × this rate.
Since 2025 the new property-tax values apply; many municipalities adjusted their rates. Your notice from the municipality (Grundsteuerbescheid) is binding.
12 Postcodes in Rostock
? FAQ: Rostock
Q01How soon do I have to register my address in Rostock?
Within two weeks of moving in (§ 17 Federal Registration Act). Bring your ID or passport and the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung from your landlord.
Q02What is the property tax rate (Hebesatz) in Rostock?
The rate for property tax B was 480 % in 2022.
Q03Which tax office (Finanzamt) is responsible for Rostock?
Responsible for Rostock: Finanzamt Rostock, Finanzamt Ribnitz-Damgarten. Which one applies depends on your address.
Q04What is the postcode of Rostock?
Rostock has 12 postcodes: 18055, 18057, 18059, 18069, 18106, 18107, 18109, 18119, 18146, 18147, 18181, 18182. All of them are listed above on this page.
Q05Where is the Bürgeramt in Rostock?
Registration and ID documents are handled by Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock (Neuer Markt 1, 18055 Rostock).
Sources & review
- Anschriften der Gemeinde- und Stadtverwaltungen 31.01.2026 · Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder
- GemFA export 02.11.2026 · Bundeszentralamt für Steuern
- Hebesätze der Realsteuern 2022 · Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder