WG Application: Which Documents Do You Actually Need?
You want to know what you can really be asked for in a WG application, what's just convention - and which documents you should prepare in advance, so you don't waste three days chasing something you could have got for free in 30 minutes the moment a great listing pops up.
Almost nothing is strictly required. Realistically expected: a Mieterselbstauskunft (tenant self-disclosure form), a proof of income (3 payslips suffice), and - if you're co-signing the Hauptmietvertrag - a SCHUFA. All of it can be obtained free of charge if you know the right route.
Short version: 4 documents are enough
In 95% of WG setups, these four documents will get you through. More is usually self-presentation, not necessity.
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Mieterselbstauskunft (tenant self-disclosure form)
A one-page form with your basic data - name, date of birth, profession, income, number of people. Landlords may ask for only certain fields. Anyone asking about religion or pregnancy is breaching the AGG.
Fill out the Mieterselbstauskunft properly → -
Proof of income
Three current payslips, or a Steuerbescheid (tax assessment) for freelancers. Students: BAfoG decision, scholarship, or a Burgschaft (guarantee letter) from parents.
Prepare proof of income → -
SCHUFA Datenkopie (free, Art. 15 GDPR)
Only required if you become Hauptmieter or co-sign the contract. For a pure sublet it's a request, not a demand. The free Datenkopie is enough in 95% of cases.
Get the SCHUFA Datenkopie → -
Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung (rent-debt-free certificate)
A short confirmation from your previous landlord that you have no outstanding rent. You have a statutory right to it - many tenants don't know that.
Request the certificate →
Pro tip: Prepare everything in advance as a PDF set in a cloud (e.g. iCloud Drive, Nextcloud) and name the files 2026-Selbstauskunft-Mueller.pdf, 2026-Payslip-Jan-Mar.pdf etc. When a Hauptmieter asks for documents in the evening, you press one button instead of digging around for three days. WGs go to the fastest applicants.
What landlords are allowed to ask - and what they're not
The Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz (AGG) and GDPR limit what can be asked during the application process. The following is inadmissible:
Questions a landlord may not ask
Religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, pregnancy, family planning, union membership, political opinion, criminal record unrelated to housing.
If you see those in a Mieterselbstauskunft: leave the field blank. If they follow up: politely point to the AGG. A rejection on those grounds would be legally challengeable.
What landlords may ask
- Profession, employer, income (amount, not source down to the cent)
- Number of people moving in + pets
- Creditworthiness / SCHUFA - only with concrete intent to sign a contract
- Insolvency in the last 5 years
- Previous landlord - but no right to contact them without your consent
Sequence: when do you need what?
Not everything has to be ready on day 1. A realistic plan:
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Day 1 - application message
The first contact message needs no documents. Nobody sends a SCHUFA with the first WhatsApp. What counts: a well-written message in German showing you've actually read the listing.
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Day 1 - 2: prepare Mieterselbstauskunft + proof of income
You can have both ready in 30 minutes. The Mieterselbstauskunft as a filled-out PDF, the payslips scanned.
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Right away: request the SCHUFA Datenkopie
Delivery takes 2 - 4 weeks - so don't wait until you need it. Request it the moment you start a serious WG search. Free via
meineschufa.de/de/datenkopie. -
Day 7+ - before move-in: rent-debt-free certificate
You only need it once a WG offer is concrete or a Hauptmietvertrag is on the horizon. Previous landlords often take 2 - 4 weeks. Plan accordingly.
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At move-in - Wohnungsgeberbestatigung
Required for your Anmeldung at the Burgeramt within 14 days. More on that here.
Common questions
Do I always have to send a SCHUFA?
No. For a sublet in the classic WG sense (Hauptmieter keeps their contract, you become an Untermieter), the building owner has no interface with you. The Hauptmieter can ask, but is not legally in a position to demand it. Detailed article on the SCHUFA question.
What if I'm new in Germany and have no SCHUFA history?
Very common. The Datenkopie comes back almost empty - that's neutral, not a negative signal. Instead, attach your employment contract, payslips, and a Burgschaft (parents or employer) if available. Add a short German sentence: "Ich bin neu in Deutschland, daher hat die SCHUFA noch keine Daten. Stattdessen schicke ich dir meinen Arbeitsvertrag und drei Gehaltsabrechnungen." Hauptmieter understand that.
Can I redact documents?
Yes, and you should. Addresses from 2 years ago, exact birth dates, bank details - none of that is the Hauptmieter's business. Use the markup tool in your PDF software (Adobe Acrobat Reader has a free "Redact" tool).
Are templates from the internet okay?
Yes, with a caveat. Use only forms from the Mieterbund, Verbraucherzentrale, or Haus & Grund. Avoid paid "premium templates" from platforms that resell your data.
How long can the Hauptmieter keep my documents?
If you're rejected: only until the application process ends, then they have to delete them (GDPR Art. 17). If accepted: only as long as the tenancy lasts, plus any retention obligations. You can demand deletion at any time.
How to store your documents safely
You're sending WG applications to strangers. A short hygiene list:
Safe storage of your application documents
- Keep originals in encrypted cloud storage (iCloud Drive, Proton Drive, Nextcloud) - not in plain email attachments.
- Send only PDFs with a watermark like "For WG application Reuterkiez 04/2026 only." Tools:
pdfwatermark.comor Apple Preview. - Strip embedded photo EXIF data (GPS, device ID). Open the photo in Preview - Tools - "Remove Location Info".
- Redact what doesn't belong in a WG application (old addresses, bank account numbers, older contract data).
- Keep a list of who got what document and when - so you can demand deletion later if needed.
What you should never do
Never send the front and back of your Personalausweis together, especially without a watermark. It's one of the most common identity-theft vectors in WG-search scams. If anyone demands it, that's a clear red flag - see WG scams on WG-Gesucht.
When the listing feels very formal
Some ads (especially on Kleinanzeigen) demand SCHUFA, ID copy, and three landlord references right in the first contact. That's usually one of two things:
- A very defensive private landlord who has been burned before.
- A scam attempt trying to harvest identity data before you've ever seen the flat.
Rule of thumb: before the viewing you only send Mieterselbstauskunft + proof of income (with bank details redacted). SCHUFA and ID copies come after a real meeting or a video call. That sequence is industry standard and accepted by serious landlords.
What to remember
- Four documents suffice: Mieterselbstauskunft, proof of income, SCHUFA Datenkopie (if needed), Mietschuldenfreiheit (for Hauptmietvertrag).
- Free preparation: SCHUFA via Art. 15 GDPR, Mietschuldenfreiheit via your statutory right, Mieterselbstauskunft via the Mieterbund template.
- Request the SCHUFA now, not later - 2 - 4 weeks delivery.
- Redact sensitive data, strip EXIF, send with a watermark.
- Never send your Personalausweis before a viewing.
More step-by-step guides in our individual articles - each contains official sources, free templates, and a visual step-by-step: