The Sozialversicherungsnummer (SVNR), also called the Rentenversicherungsnummer, is a permanent 12-character social insurance number issued by the German pension insurance (Deutsche Rentenversicherung). With Public health insurance (GKV), the number is created automatically. With Private health insurance (PKV), no number is created automatically, so you request it yourself from the German pension insurance. The number arrives by post at your registered German address in about 2–3 weeks. If you don't have the number yet when you start a job, your employer is required to request it for you, so a missing number doesn't prevent you from starting work.
How do I get a Sozialversicherungsnummer (SVNR) if I have Private health insurance (PKV)?
With Private health insurance (PKV), the German pension insurance (Deutsche Rentenversicherung) doesn't create a Sozialversicherungsnummer for you automatically, so the number has to be requested. Follow these steps:
Check whether you already have a Sozialversicherungsnummer from earlier employment in Germany or from a previous period of Public health insurance (GKV). The number is issued only once and stays valid for life.
Submit a request for the Sozialversicherungsnummer to the German pension insurance.
Confirm that your registered address in Germany (Anmeldung) is up to date, because the German pension insurance sends the number by post to that address.
Wait for the letter with your Sozialversicherungsnummer to arrive, then pass the number to your employer.
You can contact our support team for more assistance or additional resources.
How do I know whether I already have a Sozialversicherungsnummer?
You're assigned a Sozialversicherungsnummer the first time you're registered with German social insurance, so you may already have one without having requested it. Every member of the German public health insurance system has been assigned the number automatically since June 2005, including newborns, and anyone who has previously worked in Germany in a job subject to social insurance contributions has one. The number appears on payslips, on pension insurance correspondence, and on your Sozialversicherungsausweis. A Sozialversicherungsnummer is a 12-character identifier made up of numbers and 1 letter, and it looks like this example: 11 111111 A 111. It has 4 parts:
The first 2 digits are the area number of the pension insurance office that registered you.
The next 6 digits are your date of birth. For a birth date of November 11, 1111, this part would be 111111.
The single letter is the first letter of your last name at birth. For the last name Anon, this letter would be A.
The final digits are a serial number and a check digit that distinguish you from other people with the same name and date of birth.
How long does it take to receive my Sozialversicherungsnummer?
After the request reaches the German pension insurance, processing and postal delivery usually take about 2–3 weeks. The German pension insurance sends the Sozialversicherungsnummer by post to your registered address in Germany. Submitting the request as early as possible before your start date helps you have the number ready when your employer needs it.
Why does my employer need my Sozialversicherungsnummer?
Your employer pays your social security contributions along with your taxes when your salary is processed. Your employer needs the Sozialversicherungsnummer to identify you with the German pension insurance and to assign your monthly contributions to your record. For this reason, most employers ask for the number when they register you as an employee.
What happens if I don't have my Sozialversicherungsnummer when I start a new job?
If you can't provide your Sozialversicherungsnummer when you start employment in Germany, your employer is entitled and legally required to request the number directly from the German pension insurance. This applies even if you aren't insured yet, so a missing number doesn't prevent you from starting the job. You can start work while your own request is still being processed.
Is the Sozialversicherungsnummer the same as my tax ID or my Private health insurance policy number?
No. The Sozialversicherungsnummer is a separate number from your German tax identification number (Steueridentifikationsnummer) and from the policy number of your health insurance. The Sozialversicherungsnummer identifies you with the German pension insurance for social security contributions. Your Private health insurance (PKV) policy number identifies your health insurance contract and can't be used in place of the Sozialversicherungsnummer.