Certificate of Eligibility for Subsidized Housing (WBS)

Wohnungsamt (Housing Office)

A Wohnberechtigungsschein (WBS) (certificate of eligibility for subsidized housing) is an official document. You need the WBS if you want to rent social (subsidized) housing in Berlin. Whether you receive one depends on your income. A WBS is valid for one year. If you do not find housing during this period, you must apply for a new one.

There are different WBS categories. Which category you receive depends on your income. Depending on the category, certain housing options may be available to you.

You must meet these requirements to receive a WBS:

• You plan to make Berlin your main place of residence or you already live there.
• You have German citizenship, citizenship of an EU member state, or a valid residence permit in Germany. Your passport must still be valid for at least 11 months on the day you submit the application.
• You are at least 18 years old.
• You plan to live in Berlin for longer than 11 months.
• Your income is below the income limit. You can find more information about the income limit in the next section.

Social housing is intended for people who have difficulty finding suitable housing on the regular housing market. The income limit depends on several factors — for example, how many people live in your household (household size) (Haushaltsgröße).

Example: If you live with one child, your net annual income for a WBS 100 may not exceed €12,500 per year.

Annual income includes, for example (among other things):

• Salary or wages (including part-time work, minor employment, or mini-jobs)
• Income from business activities or self-employment
• Social benefits (for example: Bürgergeld/basic income support, unemployment benefits, or social aid benefit)
• Apprenticeship allowance
• Foreign income
• BAföG or BAB (vocational training allowance)
• Income from capital assets (for example: interest or dividends)
• Parental allowance / maternity benefits
• Sickness benefits
• Short-time work allowance (Kurzarbeitergeld)
• Pensions and retirement benefits
• Alimony and child support advance payment
• Income from renting or leasing property

You can use the WBS-Abfrageformular (WBS calculator) to check whether you may generally qualify for a WBS and which type of WBS may be possible for you. But please note: The result from the WBS calculator is only an initial guide and not a binding approval. Only the responsible Housing Office (Wohnungsamt) will review your application in detail and make a decision according to the law.

Your WBS states how many rooms your subsidized housing may have. The general rule is one room per person, regardless of the apartment’s size in square meters. However, there are exceptions:

• In exceptional cases, single people may also rent a 1.5- or 2-room apartment of up to 50 m².
• In special circumstances, up to two additional rooms may be approved. For example, if you have a disability that creates a need for additional living space.

Your WBS also states which income limit you meet, for example "WBS 140". This allows you to rent housing intended for this or higher income categories (for example: WBS 160 or WBS 180). Important: You should look for housing where the required WBS category is not lower than your own.

There are some social housing units that may only be allocated to people who have lived in Berlin for at least one year and have special housing needs. Special housing needs means that you urgently need housing.

Possible reasons may include (among others):

• You have children and your apartment does not have enough rooms for everyone
• You have a severe disability with a degree of disability of 50 or higher and your apartment is unsuitable because of your condition
• You live in emergency accommodation or a social facility
• You are 65 years or older, live in an apartment with too many rooms, and are willing to give it up
• You are losing your apartment through no fault of your own (for example, because the building is unsafe and you are no longer allowed to live there), or
• The Jobcenter or Sozialamt (Social Welfare Office) tells you that you must move into "reasonable housing"

If you have special housing needs, you should state the reason in your application. You must provide supporting documents, such as a medical certificate or confirmation from an authority.

Here you can find the documents you need for the application: WBS | Serviceportal

Tip: Apply for a WBS as early as possible because processing often takes several weeks or months. It is important that you submit all documents completely. This helps speed up the review process. If the Wohnungsamt (Housing Office) needs additional documents, you will receive a letter. Respond within the deadline. If you need more time, ask for an extension so that your application is not rejected.

Once you receive your WBS, you can begin searching for housing. You may only apply for social (subsidized) housing that matches the category of your WBS (for example: WBS 140).

Wohnungssuche

Important: If you would like to move into social (subsidized) housing, you send a copy of your WBS to the landlord, usually together with your application documents. You only need to submit your original WBS to the landlord when you sign a rental contract or move into the apartment.