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How to apply for a WBS in Berlin

In short: Applying is free. You need the application form, an income declaration and an income certificate, and ID for everyone in the household — and note that the office assesses the income you expect in the twelve months from applying (§ 22 WoFG), not what you earned last year. Apply online through the Berlin ServicePortal or at your district’s Wohnungsamt. Berlin publishes no processing time — allow several weeks — and the WBS is normally valid for one year.

Do you know your level yet?

The calculator tells you in about a minute whether you qualify and at which level — free, no account.

Open the WBS calculator

You apply for the Wohnberechtigungsschein online with the State of Berlin, or at the Bürgeramt or Wohnungsamt of your district — free of charge. Here is how.

New to this? What is a WBS? — who qualifies, the levels, and the income limits explained

Four steps to a WBS

1

Check your income

level & limit

↓
2

Collect documents

see the list

↓
3

Apply

online or in person

↓
4

Wait for the decision

arrives by post

And then? With the WBS in hand you are competing for the same flats as everyone else — 24.1 % of new Berlin listings are gone within four hours. WohnAutopilot watches Berlin’s large landlords around the clock and applies in your name in under five minutes, to exactly the apartments your WBS level allows.

Find a flat with WohnAutopilot

Which documents you need

For every application — the forms themselves are on the Service Berlin page to download:

  • The completed WBS application form (Antrag auf Wohnberechtigungsschein)
  • Income declaration (Einkommenserklärung) — signed by every adult in the household
  • Income certificate (Einkommensbescheinigung) — filled in and signed by your employer; one per job
  • ID documents for everyone named in the application (copies)

Depending on your situation, further proof may be required, e.g.:

  • Children’s birth certificates, proof of custody
  • Marriage, divorce or death certificate, or a partnership declaration
  • Severely disabled pass (Schwerbehindertenausweis) — front and back
  • Certificate of enrolment (Studien- bzw. Semesterbescheinigung)
  • Residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) — for non-EU citizens
  • Maternity pass (Mutterpass) with the 14th week of pregnancy recorded

The WBS is only one of the documents a landlord will ask for. What else belongs in the folder — Schufa, proof of income, a Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung — is in the application-folder checklist.

Applying online

The fastest route is online through the ServicePortal of the State of Berlin. Have your documents ready as PDF or JPG — at most 5 MB per file and 30 MB in total.

→ Go straight to the WBS application at Service Berlin

Alternatively you can submit the completed form on paper or in person at the Bürgeramt or Wohnungsamt of your district. If you are only moving to Berlin now, you may approach any Berlin office you choose.

On paper you fill the official forms yourself — BauWohn 502, one 504 per person, plus 549, 549a or 550 depending on your situation. They exist in German only. Our WBS application assistant asks the questions in English and fills the German forms for you. It is free, everything stays in your browser, and you still submit it yourself.

Cost, time & validity

  • Cost: free — Berlin lists the fee on the ServicePortal explicitly as “keine”.
  • Time: Berlin publishes no processing time. Depending on the district and the queue, allow several weeks — complete paperwork is what speeds up the check.
  • Validity: usually one year. If you are still searching after that, reapply in good time — the WBS calculator shows beforehand whether your level has shifted since the last application.

Which office is responsible?

The district where you are registered. Eight districts run their own Wohnungsamt; in the other four you hand the application in at one of the district’s Bürgerämter.

DistrictHousing office (Wohnungsamt)
Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorfvia the district’s Bürgerämter
Friedrichshain-KreuzbergFrankfurter Allee 35/37, 10247 Berlin
LichtenbergWartenberger Str. 24, 13053 Berlin
Marzahn-HellersdorfBrodauer Straße 16–22, 12621 Berlin
Mittevia the district’s Bürgerämter
Neuköllnvia the district’s Bürgerämter
PankowStorkower Straße 113, 10407 Berlin
ReinickendorfEichborndamm 215, 13437 Berlin
SpandauCarl-Schurz-Str. 2/6, 13597 Berlin
Steglitz-ZehlendorfAuf dem Grat 2, 14195 Berlin
Tempelhof-SchönebergOrdensmeisterstr. 15, 12099 Berlin
Treptow-Köpenickvia the district’s Bürgerämter

As of 2026-08-23. Addresses change — the current list of all locations is on Service Berlin.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a WBS cost?

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Nothing. Berlin lists the fee explicitly as “keine” — neither applying nor issuing costs anything.

How long does it take to get one?

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Berlin publishes no processing time — not a deadline, not even a guideline. Depending on your district and how many applications are in the queue, allow several weeks. Complete paperwork is the only part you control.

How long is a WBS valid?

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Usually one year (“in der Regel ein Jahr gültig”). If you are still looking after that, you reapply — start a few weeks before it expires, because the check takes time again.

Can I apply online?

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Yes, through the Berlin ServicePortal. Upload your documents as PDF or JPG: at most 5 MB per file and 30 MB in total. You can also apply on paper or in person at the Bürgeramt or Wohnungsamt.

Which office is responsible for me?

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The Wohnungsamt or Bürgeramt of the district where you are registered. If you are still moving to Berlin, you may apply at any Berlin office you choose.

Do I need to speak German to apply?

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The form and the process are in German, and the offices correspond in German. Nothing stops you bringing someone to translate, and the documents themselves are mostly certificates rather than free text — but expect the paperwork itself to be German-only.

What if my income is just over the limit?

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A higher level may still apply: WBS 140 allows 40 % above the federal limit in § 9 Abs. 2 WoFG, WBS 160 sixty, WBS 180 eighty and WBS 220 a hundred and twenty per cent. The housing office makes the binding decision.

Do I need a separate WBS for each apartment?

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No. The WBS is valid across Berlin for the level printed on it. The listing states which WBS it requires.

WBS in hand — now find the flat

Subsidised apartments go as fast as any other in Berlin. WohnAutopilot watches Berlin’s large landlords around the clock and applies in your name, in under five minutes — to exactly the apartments your WBS level qualifies you for.

Start free

Guidance, not a decision. Only the Wohnungsamt issues a WBS. Official information: berlin.de · Service Berlin