Guide

Mail forwarding in Germany: the Nachsendeauftrag, priced and timed

By Covered Abroad Research Desk · Last verified July 2026

Deutsche Post's Nachsendeservice forwards your letters to the new address for up to 6 months per order. The operator's own numbers: €31.90 for private customers ordering the 6-month service online (€34.90 via Poststation or branch), with an Eilauftrag express add-on for fast starts — and the timing rule that matters: place the order at least 5 working days before it should begin. Business customers pay their own tier.

What it does and what it costs

Per Deutsche Post's service page: letters are forwarded to the desired address for up to 6 months, and the published private-customer prices run €31.90 for 6 months ordered online, €34.90 via Poststation or branch — VAT included, with business customers at €51.90+. The Eilauftrag add-on buys especially fast execution of the order. As with La Poste's equivalent, order from the operator's own shop; third-party "change-of-address services" charge margins for the same form.

Source: Deutsche Post — Nachsendeservice (offizielle Produktseite), read 10 September 2026.

The 5-working-day rule

The page's own instruction: damit Sie durchgehend erreichbar bleiben, geben Sie Ihren Nachsendeauftrag spätestens 5 Werktage vor Beginn der Laufzeit auf — place the order at least five working days before the start, so no letter falls in the gap. For a move out of Germany, forwarding abroad is the variant to configure in the shop — and the service is the safety net under the German paper trail: Beitragsservice letters, tax mail, insurance correspondence.

Source: Deutsche Post — Nachsendeservice, Fristen und Preise, read 10 September 2026.

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Forwarding is a bridge, not an address change

Same rule as everywhere: the Nachsendeauftrag buys time; it doesn't update a single register. The German unwind checklist pairs it with the Abmeldung (deregistering your dwelling), Wohnung abmelden at the Beitragsservice, and each provider individually. Six months is the deadline you've bought for that sweep — the French counterpart runs on the same logic in our La Poste guide, and Spain's remains the gap in the matrix (Correos unreachable on official channels when we checked).

Source: Deutsche Post — Nachsendeservice, read 10 September 2026.

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Common questions

How much does Deutsche Post mail forwarding cost?

For private customers, €31.90 for the 6-month service ordered online — €34.90 at a Poststation or branch — per the official price table, VAT included.

How far in advance must I order it?

At least 5 working days before the forwarding should start, per Deutsche Post's own instruction — the Eilauftrag add-on exists for faster starts.

Does it forward parcels too?

The Nachsendeservice covers Briefsendungen — letters. Parcel handling runs on DHL's own services; check the shop's variants when configuring.

Can mail be forwarded outside Germany?

Yes — international forwarding is a variant in the Post's shop with its own pricing. For a move abroad, configure it before the 5-working-day deadline like any other order.