How do I obtain a personal certificate for online submission?

For online submission with your own certificate, a certificate file must be created. To do this, access the registration assistant of your online tax office.

Please allow some time for applying for the certificate. You need to complete four steps to create the certificate file:

1. Registration: Enter your personal data online to create the certificate file.
2. Receive activation data: The tax office will send you activation data by email and post.
3. Download certificate: Enter your activation data to download your certificate file.
4. Integration into Lohnsteuer kompakt: You can now integrate and use your certificate file in our software.

Important: If you do not yet have a certificate file, it is best to apply for one immediately. This will help you avoid unnecessary waiting times when submitting your next tax return. The activation data for the certificate is usually sent by post within a few days, but in some cases, it may take up to two weeks.

 

If you have questions about activating your certificate or encounter technical problems during registration, it is best to contact the tax administration's free hotline. The phone number is: 0800 - 52 35 055.

You can reach the Elster hotline from Monday to Friday between 7:00 am and 10:00 pm, and on Saturday, Sunday, and national public holidays from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

The email address is: [email protected].