The registration form (Meldeschein) is the legally required capture of guest data in German accommodation businesses (Federal Registration Act). Since 1 January 2025, the Bureaucracy Relief Act IV brought a major simplification: the hotel registration duty has been abolished for German nationals — for foreign guests it remains in place. In parallel, the GDPR sets the guardrails for what data a property may collect beyond that and how long it may keep it.
| Guest group | Registration duty |
|---|---|
| German nationals | No registration form required any more (since 1 Jan 2025). Data may still be collected for the property's own purposes (contract, billing) — then GDPR rules apply. |
| Foreign guests | Registration form still mandatory: signed on arrival or captured via approved digital procedures; presentation of an identity document. Retention: 1 year from arrival, destruction within 3 months thereafter. |
| Tourism statistics/visitor tax | State and municipal obligations (e.g. guest card, visitor levy) continue to exist independently — check regionally. |
As of mid-2026, without guarantee — not legal advice. Clarify details and digital procedures with your system provider or the competent authority.
The 2025 reform makes self check-in considerably easier: for German guests the signature step disappears entirely; for foreign guests good systems map the digital registration form including document verification. Important in system selection: separate data flows (registration vs. marketing data), automatic deletion after deadlines and EU hosting.
Under registration law, no. For contract, billing, visitor tax or house rules you may still collect data — then under GDPR rules (purpose, scope, deletion period) and without the registration-form formality.
One year from the arrival date; they must then be destroyed within three months. Digital procedures must implement retention and deletion accordingly.
Generally no — the law provides for presentation for inspection, not a copy. Exceptions are narrow; when in doubt, transcribe the data instead of scanning.