How to Get SCHUFA in Germany: Free Datenkopie and a Rental Report
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In Germany, SCHUFA is needed for more than just a loan. It is often requested when renting an apartment, applying for some banking products, buying on instalments, or signing a telecommunications contract. If you have recently moved, it is important to understand the difference between the free Datenkopie for checking your personal data and the paid SCHUFA-BonitätsCheck / SCHUFA-BonitätsAuskunft, which you can show a landlord.
What is SCHUFA?
SCHUFA Holding AG is Germany’s largest credit bureau. Its name comes from Schutzgemeinschaft für allgemeine Kreditsicherung. The company collects data on contractual obligations and payment behaviour: bank accounts, loans, credit cards, mobile-phone contracts, instalment plans, and overdue or disputed debts.
When a landlord, bank, or service provider asks for a SCHUFA report, they usually want to assess the risk of non-payment. Importantly, SCHUFA does not store information about your salary, assets, profession, marital status, nationality, political views, or religion. The report primarily reflects your contractual and payment behaviour.
A SCHUFA record often appears after your first steps in Germany: registering your address, opening a bank account, taking out a mobile contract, loan, or credit card, or buying on instalments. If you have just arrived, SCHUFA may not yet have enough data about you. For that reason, before ordering a rental report, it is usually sensible to wait a few weeks after entering into your first contracts and completing your Anmeldung.
Which SCHUFA report do you need in different situations?
SCHUFA offers several formats, and they should not be confused.
| Situation | What to request | Can you share it with third parties? |
|---|---|---|
| Check what data is held about you | Datenkopie under Art. 15 DSGVO | No, it is a detailed copy of your personal data for your own use |
| Apply for an apartment | SCHUFA-BonitätsCheck or SCHUFA-BonitätsAuskunft | Yes, this format is designed to confirm your creditworthiness |
| Urgently attach a document to a tenant application | Digital BonitätsCheck | Yes, if the landlord accepts the digital version |
How to get SCHUFA for free
The free version is called Kopie der personenbezogenen Daten nach Art. 15 DS-GVO, or simply Datenkopie. You can request it through the meineSCHUFA portal. This report shows what personal data SCHUFA holds about you, where it came from, and to whom it was disclosed.
When applying, you normally provide your personal details and address. For identification, you may be asked for a copy of your passport and proof of registration, for example a Meldebescheinigung. The response is not an attractive rental certificate; it is a detailed data copy. It is therefore best used for a personal check: to find errors, old addresses, incorrect entries, or company enquiries.
If your Datenkopie contains an error, you can challenge it with SCHUFA and, if necessary, with the company that submitted the incorrect information. This document is generally unsuitable for renting an apartment because it contains more personal data than a landlord needs.
How to get SCHUFA when renting an apartment
For renting, you will usually need a document that confirms your creditworthiness without revealing unnecessary details. On the official SCHUFA website, this is the SCHUFA-BonitätsAuskunft or the digital SCHUFA-BonitätsCheck. As of 2026, the official digital BonitätsCheck is available for €29.95; the paper BonitätsAuskunft on the SCHUFA website is also listed at €29.95.
You can add the paid version to your Bewerbungsmappe for an apartment, send it to the landlord, or show it at a viewing. If you need the document urgently, the digital version with download after identification is more convenient. If the landlord specifically asks for a paper original, check the format on the SCHUFA order page.
ImmobilienScout24 also offers a BonitätsCheck for tenants. It can be useful if you are looking for housing through ImmoScout24 and want to attach the document directly to your application. Before paying, check the current terms: subscriptions, included reports, and prices can change.
What to do if you do not have SCHUFA yet
Newcomers often face a problem: they need a SCHUFA report for a long-term apartment, but their German credit history has not yet been established. This is normal, especially if you have just arrived and have not yet opened an account or signed any contracts.
What you can do:
- First complete your Anmeldung, open a bank account, and set up basic contracts, then request a report a few weeks later.
- At first, look for temporary accommodation that does not require a German credit history: furnished apartments, serviced apartments, rooms in a WG (Wohngemeinschaft), or short-term rentals.
- Prepare alternative proof of creditworthiness: an employment contract, recent bank statements, proof of a scholarship, a guarantor, or a Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung from a previous landlord, if you have one.
- Explain honestly to the landlord that you are new to Germany and that your SCHUFA file is still empty or has not yet been established.
These documents cannot always fully replace SCHUFA. In a competitive rental market, the landlord decides which evidence to accept.
What SCHUFA score is considered good?
SCHUFA uses different scoring models and sector-specific ratings. Consumer articles often use the following rule of thumb: around 95% or higher is considered good, and around 97% or higher is very good. This is a useful rough guide, but not a universal rule for every bank or landlord.
Do not treat the percentage as the only deciding factor. For a rental, income, job stability, a complete set of documents, the absence of negative entries, and the speed of your application also usually matter. A bank may apply its own internal criteria, which may differ from a landlord’s assessment.
How to maintain a good credit history in Germany
The basic principle is simple: keep your financial contracts organised and avoid late payments.
- Pay bills, loans, rent, mobile-phone charges, and instalments on time.
- Do not open lots of bank accounts and credit cards unless you need them.
- Close unused accounts and cards if you no longer need them.
- Do not make too many loan and credit-card applications in quick succession.
- Check your Datenkopie once a year and correct any errors.
- If a payment becomes overdue, resolve it with the creditor as quickly as possible and ask for the information at SCHUFA to be updated once it has been settled.
- Keep documents confirming the closure of loans, accounts, and disputed claims.
Advice such as “do not move too often” is also common, but its effect is hard to assess without context. It is better to focus on verifiable factors: no unpaid claims, accurate data, and a clear financial history.
Read also:
Getting a Loan in Germany as a Foreigner
Frequently asked questions
Can you send a landlord the free Datenkopie?
Technically, you can show any document, but it is not good practice. A Datenkopie contains detailed personal data and is intended for your own review. For renting, it is better to use a BonitätsCheck or BonitätsAuskunft.
How long should you wait for SCHUFA after moving?
There is no single time frame. If you have only just registered and have not yet entered into any contracts, the report may be empty. After your Anmeldung, opening a bank account, and your first contracts, give the system time to update its data.
Does a poor SCHUFA always mean a rental rejection?
No, but the risk of rejection is higher. It depends on the reason for the entry, how recent the data is, your income, competition for the apartment, and the particular landlord’s requirements.
Can you remove an incorrect entry?
Yes. If an entry is incorrect or outdated, you can dispute it. Start with SCHUFA and the company that submitted the data. Keep all correspondence and proof of payment or contract closure.
Conclusion
Use the free Datenkopie to check your personal data. To rent an apartment, you will more often need a paid SCHUFA-BonitätsCheck or SCHUFA-BonitätsAuskunft that can be shared with the landlord. Newcomers to Germany should collect alternative documents in advance because a credit history is not established on the day you move, but after your first contracts and SCHUFA’s data updates.
