Basiskonto: your legal right to a basic bank account in Germany

Last checked against the official source: 29 August 2026

If a bank has refused to open an account for you in Germany, you most likely have a legal right to a basic account (Basiskonto) and do not know it. The Payment Accounts Act (Zahlungskontengesetz, ZKG) makes banks obliged to conclude the contract — it is not their choice. And the right expressly covers people with no fixed address, asylum seekers, and holders of a Duldung.

Why this provision matters so much

A bank account in Germany is not a convenience. Without one you cannot receive a salary, pay rent, or sign up with an insurer or a phone company. Yet many people are turned away verbally at the counter — told their documents are incomplete or their legal status is not settled — and leave believing the matter is closed.

A verbal refusal is not a decision. The law gives you an explicit right and binds the bank to a written procedure with a fixed deadline.

What to do, step by step

1. Ask for the basic account by nameDo not ask for “an account” in general. Say explicitly that you are applying for a Basiskonto under the ZKG. Banks route this request through a different process than an ordinary account.
2. Apply in writingAsk for the official application form; a conversation at the counter is not enough. It is the written application that starts the legal deadline running.
3. Keep the copy and the acknowledgementThe law obliges the bank to hand you a copy of your application and to acknowledge its receipt. Those two documents are your evidence if the bank is late or refuses.
4. Count ten business daysBusiness days exclude weekends and public holidays. If the period passes with no contract offer, you are dealing with a delay you can act on.
5. If refused, insist on it in writingOnly a written refusal can be challenged before the supervisory authority or in court. A verbal refusal leaves nothing to appeal against.

Frequently asked questions

What do I do if a bank refuses to open an account for me?

A verbal refusal is not a decision. Section 31 ZKG obliges banks to conclude the contract; it is not their choice. Submit a Basiskonto application in writing, and if it is refused, insist on the refusal in writing — only that can be challenged before the supervisory authority or in court.

Can asylum seekers or people with a Duldung open a bank account?

Yes. The right covers every consumer lawfully resident in the European Union, including people with no fixed address and asylum seekers, as well as people whose deportation is suspended because removal is impossible for legal or factual reasons.

How long does the bank have to answer?

It must make the contract offer without undue delay and at the latest within ten business days of receiving a complete application. Business days exclude weekends and public holidays.

How do I apply for the basic account correctly?

Do not ask for “an account” in general. State explicitly that you are applying for a Basiskonto under the ZKG and ask for the official form. The written application starts the legal deadline, and the bank must give you a copy of it and acknowledge receipt.

Is the basic account free?

Section 31 governs only the right to the account and the deadline. Fees, the lawful grounds for refusal, and whether the account runs on a credit balance only are governed by other provisions and by the contract. Do not assume it is free or that it comes with an overdraft.

Does every bank have to offer it?

The duty applies to every bank that offers payment accounts to consumers, and it is mandatory rather than discretionary.