The Sozialversicherungsnummer (SVNR), also called the Rentenversicherungsnummer, is the 12-character social insurance number that identifies you with the German pension insurance (Deutsche Rentenversicherung). You're assigned one the first time you're registered with German social insurance. With Public health insurance (GKV), the number is created automatically when your health insurance registers you and arrives by post in about 2–3 weeks. With Private health insurance (PKV), no number is created automatically, so you request it yourself from the German pension insurance. If you can't provide the number when you start a job, your employer requests it directly from the German pension insurance.
What is a Sozialversicherungsnummer (SVNR)?
The Sozialversicherungsnummer, abbreviated SVNR and also called the Rentenversicherungsnummer, is the German social insurance number. It's a permanent 12-character identifier made up of numbers and one letter, and it stays the same for your whole life. The German pension insurance (Deutsche Rentenversicherung) uses this number to record the social security contributions paid on your behalf.
Who receives a Sozialversicherungsnummer, and when?
You're assigned a Sozialversicherungsnummer the first time you're registered with German social insurance. There are 2 ways that happens:
If you have Public health insurance (GKV), the number is assigned automatically when your health insurance registers you with the German pension insurance. This has applied to every member of the German public health insurance system since June 2005, including newborns.
If you don't have Public health insurance, no number is created automatically. You either request it yourself, or your employer requests it when they register your first job.
Everyone who works in Germany has a Sozialversicherungsnummer at the latest by the time their first salary is processed.
How is the Sozialversicherungsnummer structured?
A Sozialversicherungsnummer 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.
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 assign your monthly contributions to your record.
How do I get a Sozialversicherungsnummer?
How you receive the number depends on which health insurance you have:
With Public health insurance (GKV), the Sozialversicherungsnummer is generated automatically once you sign up. The German pension insurance (Deutsche Rentenversicherung) sends it to you by post, which usually takes 2–3 weeks.
With Private health insurance (PKV), no number is generated for you automatically. You request the Sozialversicherungsnummer yourself from the German pension insurance using this request form. The authorities send the number by post to your registered address, which also takes about 2–3 weeks.
A short video explanation of the Sozialversicherungsnummer is available here.
Do I need a Sozialversicherungsnummer for a mini-job or a working-student job?
Yes. Mini-jobs (Minijobs) and working-student jobs (Werkstudentenjobs) are exempt from some social security contributions, but not from pension insurance, so your employer needs your Sozialversicherungsnummer to register the job:
In a mini-job with a monthly earnings limit, pension insurance contributions are mandatory. Your employer pays 15% and you pay 3.6% of your gross pay, or 5% and 13.6% in a private household.
In a working-student job, you're exempt from health, long-term care, and unemployment insurance contributions, but pension insurance contributions are mandatory.
Only short-term employment (kurzfristige Beschäftigung) is exempt from social security contributions entirely.
If you don't have a Sozialversicherungsnummer yet when you start a mini-job or a working-student job, your employer requests one for you.
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 does not prevent you from starting the job.