Service Portal Niedersachsen Startseite
Please enter a search term.
IMPORTANT: Select a location.To obtain application forms, location-specific information and contacts, select a town or zip code.

For an area outside of Lower Saxony and foreign languages, some menu items and functions are not available. Please go to the service page of the respective country.

Please specify an area.

Your selected location: Emsland

Which place to enter?

The location is used to determine the responsible office for the selected administrative service. In most cases you can enter your place of residence to find the competent authority. However, there are also cases in which a different location must be specified. Here are some examples:

Birth certificateYou want to get married and need a birth certificate. You live in Hanover, but you were born in Celle. You must therefore state your place of birth, i.e. Celle.

Business registrationYou would like to register a business in Braunschweig. Your place of residence is Hanover. You must therefore state the location of your future business, i.e. Braunschweig.

Apply for a building permitYou would like to build a house in Wunstorf and therefore apply for a building permit. Her place of residence is currently Hanover. You must indicate the place where the house is to be built. In this case it is Wunstorf.

Request tax identification number (IdNr) or church tax deduction feature (KiStAM)

Read aloud

In order to withhold church tax on capital gains tax, those obliged to withhold church tax, for example banks, must ask the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) whether their customers are liable for church tax.

You will need the tax identification number (IdNr) of the taxpayer to make the inquiry. If you do not have the tax identification number, you can request it at the same time.
You submit your request via the BZSt online portal (BOP).

To be able to submit the request via the BOP, you must first register your company there. The registration process can take up to 3 weeks.

Who should I contact?

Responsible authorities

Read aloud

Bundeszentralamt für Steuern (BZSt)
Address: An der Küppe 1, 53225 Bonn, Stadt
Remark: Headquarters Bonn-Beuel
Timetable
Telephone: +49 228 406-0
Fax: +49 228 406-2661
Email: Get in touch
www: www.bzst.bund.de
Opening Hours:

Monday to Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
 

Requirements

Inquiries can be made:

  • Church tax deductors

Further requirements:

  • You must register your company on the BZSt online portal (BOP).
  • You must submit an application for your company to be admitted to the procedure for the electronic transmission of data in accordance with Section 51a (2c) of the German Income Tax Act (EStG) (church tax on flat-rate withholding tax).
  • You can only submit a request for the tax identification number (IdNr) of a natural person if
    • their IdNr is unknown and
    • your company potentially has to withhold capital gains tax for this person.

Applications / forms

  • Forms available: Yes
  • Written form required: Yes
  • Informal application possible: No
  • Personal appearance necessary: No
  • Online services available: Yes

Which documents are required?

  • Inquiry data record of the creditor of the chapter income

What are the fees?

There are no costs.

Process flow

You must submit the request to determine the church tax deduction feature (KiStAM) via the BZSt online portal (BOP).

  • You first need a certificate for the BOP.
    • To do this, go to the website of the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) and apply for registration online.
    • Complete the application online and print it out.
    • Sign the application and send it to the BZSt by post.
  • The BZSt will then send you instructions by post on how to activate your BOP account.
  • Follow the instructions and activate your BOP account on the BOP.
    • Note: If you already have an ELSTER certificate, you can also use this to log in to the BOP.
  • You must then submit an application via the BOP for admission to the procedure for the electronic transmission of data in accordance with Section 51a (2c) of the Income Tax Act (EStG) (church tax on flat-rate withholding tax). Complete the application online.
  • If your application is approved, you will receive your registration number by post from the BZSt. You will need this for the KiStAM request.
  • You can now submit KiStAM requests via the BOP. If you do not know the tax identification number (IdNr) of the person to be queried, select the combined query "IdNr. search and KiStAM query".
  • Complete the request online in the BOP and send it electronically via the BOP.
  • You will then receive a response to your request via your mailbox in your BOP account.

What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?

Regular queries relevant for the following year (Section 51a (2c) sentence 1 no. 3 and sentence 1 EstG) must be made in the period from September 1 to October 31. Other queries, such as queries for specific reasons, for example when a business relationship is established, can be made at any time.

Processing duration

  • for the activation of the BOP account: 1 to 3 weeks
  • for admission to the church tax on withholding tax procedure: 1 to 2 weeks
  • for the response to the KiStAM request: 1 to max. 3 days

Further information

Legal basis

Appeal

  • Objection against non-admission to the proceedings
  • Fiscal court action

Source: Serviceportal Niedersachsen (Portalverbund des Bundes und der Länder)

Further Links

Read aloud

Single points of contact of the state of Lower Saxony, Single points of contact of the countries of Europe, advice and assistance for EU citizens and their families.
Access information on the single point of contact for the state of Lower Saxonyvisit Website Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEsVisit advice and assistance for EU citizens and their families