WBS calculator: do you qualify for social housing in Germany?
Most people guess wrong – because they compare their gross or their net salary with the income limit. The housing office does something else entirely: it deducts work-related expenses, then three flat rates, then your allowances. This calculator follows exactly that path, for all 16 federal states, with a source for every figure.
What a WBS is – and why it matters for you
A Wohnberechtigungsschein (WBS) is a certificate from your local housing office confirming that your household income is below a legal limit. Flats built with public subsidies – a large share of the affordable stock in cities like Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Cologne – may only be rented to people who hold one. No certificate, no viewing.
Citizenship is not a criterion: EU citizens and non-EU residents apply the same way as German applicants. What counts is that you are registered in Germany, that your residence permit covers a reasonable period, and that your household income stays under your state's limit.
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Why your gross salary is not the number that counts
The limits look low until you realise they do not refer to gross pay. Under the German Housing Promotion Act the office calculates in four steps:
- 1. Add up all incomes. The gross annual income of every household member, including children who earn (§ 21 WoFG).
- 2. Deduct work-related expenses. Without proof, the standard allowance of €1,230 for employees, €102 for pensioners. Documented higher costs count in full.
- 3. Deduct three flat rates of 10 % each. For income tax, for health and care insurance, and for pension insurance – up to 30 % in total (§ 23 WoFG). If you don't pay one of them, you don't get that deduction.
- 4. Deduct the allowances. €4,500 for a degree of disability of 100, €4,000 for young married couples, €600 per child under 12 for single parents, plus maintenance you pay (§ 24 WoFG).
What remains is your relevant annual income, and only that number is compared with your state's limit. For employees it is often 30 to 35 per cent below the gross figure – which is why applying is worth it even when your gross looks too high at first glance.
Income limits in all 16 federal states
Each state sets its own limits and the spread is wide. Every figure below carries its source and date – click the source before you rely on it, because limits change.
What you need to apply
You apply at the housing office (Wohnungsamt) of your city or municipality – online in most larger cities. The usual paperwork:
- ID or passport plus your registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) – for everyone moving in.
- Proof of income for the last twelve months: payslips, pension statement, benefit decisions, or your tax assessment if you are self-employed.
- Evidence for allowances: disability card, marriage certificate for the young-couple allowance, maintenance orders or payment records.
- Your municipality's application form – wording and fees differ from city to city.
And the application pack for the flat itself: the documents generator builds the list for your situation, and the SCHUFA guide for foreigners explains the credit report German landlords ask for.
Got your WBS? Now speed decides
Subsidised flats attract just as many applicants as any other – often more. WohnungsBewerber writes a personal application on every listing in seconds and keeps your documents ready, so you're among the first without sounding generic. Free, everything stays local, you press send yourself.
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The rest of the paperwork you'll meet on the German rental market:
WBS: frequently asked questions
Does the WBS use gross or net income?
Neither. The office uses the relevant annual income under the Housing Promotion Act: gross income of everyone in the household, minus work-related expenses, minus a flat ten per cent each for income tax, health and care insurance and pension insurance, minus the statutory allowances. The result sits well below your gross and usually close to your net – but never exactly on it.
Can foreigners get a Wohnberechtigungsschein?
Yes – citizenship is not a criterion. You need to be registered in Germany, hold a residence permit covering a stay of reasonable length, and stay under your state's income limit. EU citizens and holders of a settlement permit apply exactly like German applicants.
What is a WBS 140 or income group B?
Certificates for households slightly above the base limit. Berlin's WBS 140 allows 40 per cent above, WBS 160 sixty, WBS 180 eighty. North Rhine-Westphalia calls its equivalent income group B (also 40 per cent). Hamburg, Saxony and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern operate a second funding path with separate, higher limits. The calculator checks these automatically.
Does Bürgergeld or unemployment benefit count as income?
Yes. § 21 (2) WoFG explicitly adds tax-free benefits to your annual income: Bürgergeld under SGB II, sick pay, parental allowance above the exempt amounts, subsistence assistance and scholarships. Child benefit (Kindergeld) and housing benefit (Wohngeld) are not counted. There are no deductions for tax or social contributions on these benefits because you don't pay them yourself – even so, the result almost always stays well below the limit. Pick “Unemployment or other benefits” in the calculator above.
Where do I apply, and how long does it take?
At the Wohnungsamt of your city or municipality, online in most larger cities. Bring ID, proof of income for the last twelve months for every household member and the local form. Fees range from nothing to about fifteen euros, and most offices issue the certificate within a few days.
How long is it valid?
One year from issue in most states, two in some. It must still be valid when you sign the tenancy agreement, not just when you view the flat – so apply early rather than after you find something.
Are these figures binding?
No. This calculator reproduces the statutory calculation and compares it with the limit we can document for your state – with a source and a date on every result. The housing office decides, and it also considers special cases this page does not ask about. Treat the result as a well-founded estimate to take with you, not as a decision.