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Cash and tax office

Paying second home tax

Since January 1, 2016, the Hessian state capital has levied a second home tax. The background to the introduction of this tax is in particular the financial participation of all residents in Wiesbaden in the city's infrastructure costs, such as public transport, daycare centers, theaters, roads and so on, which are available to all residents but are only financed via the municipal financial equalization system by residents registered in Wiesbaden as their main place of residence.

The legal basis is the statute on the levying of the second home tax in the area of the state capital Wiesbaden.

The basis of assessment for the tax is the annual net rent. The tax rate is ten percent of the assessment basis until June 30, 2024 and fifteen percent from July 1, 2024. If the apartment is owned or rented for less than the local rent, the net cold rent is estimated on the basis of the rent payable for comparable rooms.

A secondary residence is any dwelling that serves as a secondary residence to someone's main residence. The Federal Registration Act defines a main residence as the resident's predominantly used home. Each additional dwelling of the resident constitutes a secondary residence. A dwelling within the meaning of the secondary residence tax statutes is any enclosed space that is used for living or sleeping. Anyone who has a secondary residence is obliged to submit a tax return.

The cities and municipalities in Hesse can decide under their own jurisdiction and legal and municipal financial responsibility whether and to what extent they wish to levy second home tax. There is no obligation to levy the second home tax. Tax is levied on the possession of an additional dwelling (second or secondary residence) in addition to a main residence.

As a rule, this applies to all persons who have moved into an apartment in the town in question and have registered it as a secondary residence. Whether the apartment is rented or occupied by the owner does not matter, nor does the question of whether the main residence is in the same place.

Exceptions:
Married people who are not permanently separated and who maintain a secondary residence for professional reasons are generally exempt from the secondary residence tax.

Note:You are obliged to register your secondary residence with the competent authority.
The registration at the registration office also counts as a tax registration.

Once you have registered, we will send you the tax return for the second home tax.

Paying second home tax

Address

Hasengartenstraße 25
65189 Wiesbaden

Postal address

P.O. Box 3920
65029 Wiesbaden

Notes on public transport

Public transportation: bus stop Hasengartenstraße, bus line 27.

Information on accessibility

  • Barrier-free access is available
  • The WC is barrier-free

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Explanations and notes