I have moved. When do I have to give the municipality my new address?
In short
You must report your new address to your new municipality within 8 working days of moving. This also applies if you move within the same municipality.
Video transcript
You have moved into a new home. The boxes are still packed. Required: Report your new address to the municipality within 8 working days. Also when moving within the same municipality. The right way: Report it straight away; the local police officer will check that you live there. Outcome: Late or no report: Crime (level 1); Fine in the law: 26 – 500 € (increased); Also: Risk of deregistration.
What is not allowed, what is required?
- Report your new address to the municipality within 8 working days of moving.
- You must also report it if you move within the same municipality.
- The neighbourhood police officer (wijkagent / agent de quartier) comes round to check whether you really live there.
- Until you report it, official letters, tax letters and election notices keep going to your old address.
- If you are a foreign national and will be abroad for more than 3 months, tell your municipality before you leave. Report to the municipality within 15 days of your return.
- If you have a residence permit and stay abroad for more than 1 year, you can lose your right to return. For EU long-term residence, the limit is 12 months outside the EU or 6 years outside Belgium.
Penalty and indirect consequences
- Fine / payment
- Reporting late, or not at all, is a criminal offence (level 1 penalty). The law sets a fine of 26 € – 500 €; since 1 September 2026 this amount is multiplied under the new Criminal Code. The court can also impose another level 1 penalty instead, such as community service.
Legal basis:Wet 19.7.1991 bevolkingsregisters, art. 7 + Strafwetboek, art. 36, 78Wet 19.7.1991 bevolkingsregisters, art. 5 §1 en 7
- Court / prison
- No prison sentence
Legal basis:Wet 19.7.1991 bevolkingsregisters, art. 7 + Strafwetboek, art. 78 §1 9°
What does this level mean? Criminal Code, level 1: No prison: a fine, community service or probation. All penalty levels →
What really matters: the indirect consequences
- If you never report it, the authorities can even strike you off the population register
Legal basis:Omzendbrief 20.4.2006 (afvoering ambtshalve) + KB 16.7.1992, art. 8
- For foreign nationals, problems with their right of residence and with renewing their card
Legal basis:KB 8.10.1981 (vreemdelingen), art. 39 §7
- Problems with social security rights, health insurance and school enrolment
Why does this rule exist?
The state must be able to find you at the right address for elections, taxes, school, social security and emergencies.
Where can you go?
- Municipal population officeChange of address, identity card and residence card
- Neighbourhood police officerAddress check (wijkagent / agent de quartier)
- Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.
This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses
Source and reliability
Official source- Source check
- 9 / 9 statements in an official source
- Checked: 02.11.2026
- Last checked
- 23.10.2026
- Rules can change
Show the 9 checked statementsopen
- Found in an official source
Taşındıktan sonra 8 iş günü içinde bildirim
Vlaanderen.be – Aangifte van adreswijziging - Found in an official source
Aynı belediye içinde taşınırken de zorunlu
Vlaanderen.be – Aangifte van adreswijziging - Found in an official source
Mahalle polisi yerinde kontrol eder
Vlaanderen.be – Aangifte van adreswijziging - Found in an official source
Hiç bildirmemek nüfus kaydından resen silinmeye gidebilir
Omzendbrief 20.4.2006 (afvoering ambtshalve) + KB 16.7.1992, art. 8 - Found in an official source
Nüfus kaydı kurallarının ihlali para cezası (26–500 €) → 1.9.2026'dan beri seviye 1 (200–20.000 € vb.)
Wet 19.7.1991 bevolkingsregisters, art. 7 + Strafwetboek, art. 36, 78 - Found in an official source
Kanun yalnız para cezası öngörür; seviye 1'de hapis yok
Wet 19.7.1991 bevolkingsregisters, art. 7 + Strafwetboek, art. 78 §1 9° - Found in an official source
Resen silinen yabancının ülkeyi terk ettiği varsayılır
KB 8.10.1981 (vreemdelingen), art. 39 §7 - Found in an official source
Bildirim Kral'ın belirlediği biçim ve sürede yapılmalı (md. 5); önceki maddelerin ihlali cezalı (md. 7) → geç bildirim de kapsamda
Wet 19.7.1991 bevolkingsregisters, art. 5 §1 en 7 - Found in an official source
Düzeltme (Kasım 2026 doğrulaması): Geç/hiç bildirmemek suç; 1. seviye: 200–20.000 € para cezası veya kamu yararına çalışma
Wet 19.7.1991 md. 7 + Strafwetboek Boek I md. 78 §1 9° ve 2. fıkra (Justel)
The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.
General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?