Apply for the Elster certificate: All info at a glance

If you want to simplify your annual tax return, you can submit it electronically. For this you need the Elster certificate, which saves you the mountain of paper. If you are a self-employed entrepreneur, you are even obliged to use Elster-Online.

How to apply for the Elster certificate

You need the Elster certificate to submit your tax return electronically to the tax office. You can apply for the certificate as a free basic variant on Elster-Online.

1. First, go to the official Elster-Online page and select "Create user account".
2. Followed by this, you will receive a short instruction about the login system. Subsequently, the certificate file, the ID card, the security stick and the signature card are available to you as a login variant.
3. If you need the certificate for yourself as a private person, then click on the appropriate option and enter your personal data. Also have your identification number ready.
4. Now follow the further instructions to apply for registration.
5. The tax office will send you an email. With a click on the contained link you confirm the registration. Now you get a second code.
6. In addition, you will receive another security code by mail. Keep both well.
7. Have you received the first code by mail, you can now use both codes to apply for the certificate on Elster-Online.
8. Under the menu item "Generate certificate" follow the instructions and now you can download the certificate, if you have chosen this as a login method.

Note: When registering, you can choose between a registration with new ID card or only with your identification number. With ID card you can generate the certificate online in a few minutes without the postal detour.