Register for the BZSt online portal

If you wish to submit applications and returns electronically via the online portal of the Federal Central Tax Office, you must register in advance to use it.

BOP-Portal - Registrierung
The online portal of the Federal Central Tax Office (BOP portal) allows you to transmit data electronically to the Federal Central Tax Office. Private individuals or (tax consulting) companies must register on the portal once and free of charge.

Registrierung BOP-Portal

This form can be submitted electronically without signature (e.g. via a secure contact form or by e-mail) or in paper form to the responsible authority.

Street address

An der Küppe 1
53225 Bonn

Postal address

An der Küppe 1

53225 Bonn

Mehr zur Behörde

The online portal (BOP) of the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) enables you to submit a wide range of tax data in a national and international context completely paperless.

You can use the online portal as a private individual, but it is also aimed at companies, tax consultancies, certain administrations and banks or insurance companies.

To ensure that your data records reach the BZSt confidentially and securely - known as authenticated transmission - you must register once on the BOP. If you want to send a large amount of data, you must also take part in the ELMA5 procedure for bulk data from the BZSt. You will need to register separately for this. However, registration in the BOP is a prerequisite.

Similar to the ELSTER software certificate in the ELSTER online portal of the tax administration, you will receive a so-called BOP certificate when you register in the BZSt online portal. This electronic certificate guarantees a secure procedure.

If you already have a valid ELSTER certificate, you do not need to register for BOP and can log in with this and the corresponding password.

As a rule, the certificate file or software certificate is the best choice for you as a user. Other login options include a security stick or a signature card.

The BOP certificate is valid for 2 years. You will usually receive an e-mail notification when the certificate expires. If you then log in again with your data, the certificate will be automatically renewed. If you do not log in directly and the registration has expired, you can re-register using the known BZSt number and the secret.

1st alternative: You have an ELSTER certificate file
2nd alternative: To register with the BOP, you must apply in advance for an individual BZSt number and a secret value

Required Documents

As a rule, no additional documents are required.

Before registration:

Apply in advance for an individual BZSt number and the so-called secret value:

Visit the homepage of the Federal Central Tax Office on the Internet:
Click on one of the following tabs as required:
Private individual
Company
Select the relevant section for your request and click on the sub-item "Electronic data transmission".
Fill in the form linked there with the necessary information and declarations and click on "Send".
If your details are complete, you will receive a letter with your personal BZSt number and an e-mail with the secret value in the following days.

Certificate file registration process:

If you have opted for the login version using a certificate file on the BOP, you can register as follows:

Visit the BOP website and click on "Create user account" on the start page.
You will automatically be taken to the "Create account - how it works" subpage, where you will see an overview of the registration process and will be guided through the rest of the process.
On the following page, select your preferred login option; for most users, the recommended selection option "Certificate file" is the best choice.
Enter your personal data and the BZSt number you applied for in advance in the following online form.
Under the heading "Shared secret" in the drop-down list, select the entry "BZSt secret", enter your personal secret and confirm it.
Enter a user name and answer a security question of your choice.
Finally, check the data you have entered and send it if it is correct.
After sending the data, you will receive a first e-mail to verify your e-mail inbox, which you must confirm receipt of.
After successful confirmation, you will receive a second e-mail with an activation ID and an activation code by post.
After receiving this second e-mail and the letter, click on the link in the second e-mail or go to "My user account" on the "BOP" homepage and then to "Activate user account".
Then click on "Certificate file" under the heading "Registration".
Enter the personal activation ID from the e-mail and the activation code from the letter and click on "Send".
In the next step, assign a personal password for the use of your personal certificate file. You will use this PIN to log in to the BOP in future. If you lose your PIN, you will have to register again.
Finally, you will receive a certificate file with the extension ".pfx" to download, which you can save on your computer.
You have now successfully created a BOP user account, which you can use to submit your applications and declarations to the BZSt electronically and without a signature.
To complete the registration process, log in to the portal for the first time with your login details and the certificate file and complete your profile.