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II. Compulsory registration for prostitutes according to the Protection of Prostitutes Act

You are required to register if you currently work as a prostitute or intend to do so in future (see Section 3 of the Protection of Prostitutes Act). You must register in person with the competent authority and will also be given information and counselling. You can only register once you have received health counselling.

More information on health counselling in FAQ III

The authority in charge of the area where you mainly work or intend to work is responsible. During registration, you will also be required to state all other cities or federal states in Germany where you intend to work. It's best you list several places of work if you are not yet certain where you want to work. These places will be noted in your registration certificate. You need to go back to the authorities and have any additional places added to your registration certificate if you subsequently change your plans and would like to work at a different location. You are not required to do so, for instance if you will work for a temporary period due to a particular occasion at a location other than those you had stated.

Here you will find an overview of the registration authorities

You will receive information

• about the rights and obligations of prostitutes
• about health insurance
• about compulsory social welfare payments if you are employed as a prostitute
• about health and social counselling services
• about help in emergency situations -   Here you will find a list of useful addresses and telephone numbers of counselling centres in relation to this subject
• about your tax obligations 

• Your ID card or passport with registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung), or replacement documents with registration certificate
• If you do not have a fixed address in Germany, you must at least specify an address where your post can be sent safely to you. You cannot specify a PO box for this purpose. 
• A work permit. You do not need a work permit if you are an EU national 
• Two passport photographs 
• Your certificate of health counselling 

If you change your name, your nationality, your home or locations where you wish to work, you must notify the competent authority within 14 days.

The following information is shown on your registration certificate: 
· Passport photo
· First and last name or ALIAS (more on ALIAS in FAQ II.5)
· Date and place of birth
· Nationality
· List of the places where you will work
· Expiry date and 
· Issuing authority

You need to inform the competent authority within 14 days if there are changes to your name, nationality, your place of residence or the places where you will work.

Here you can see what the certificate looks like

You are entitled to use an alias (your work name or pseudonym) when registering and attending health counselling. Remember, though, that you will have to present your ID card during registration, and that registration will be issued based on this. But you will receive another certificate in which you can choose any name that you would like to have added. This certificate is then valid with your alias name and photo. Your correct name and place of birth will not be mentioned.

Your certificate must have been issued to you within 5 working days of registration. Make sure you register on time, as you will not be able to work without the certificate.

The registration certificate is valid for two years if you are 21 or older. The certificate of health counselling applies for one year.

The first registration certificate is valid for just one year if you are under 21. Regardless of this, you are also required to attend health counselling every six months.

Yes! You must have the registration or alias certificate at all times when working, but only then.

Only the establishment owners, the competent employees of the authority and the police are entitled to check your certificate.
For instance, you are not required to show your certificate to customers, colleagues or the Jobcenter (Employment Agency).

You are actually meant to attend registration and the personal meeting by yourself. Other persons accompanying you are only allowed to attend the registration if the authority agrees. However, the authority can ask a specialist counselling centre for prostitutes or health issues to attend the meeting, provided you agree. Someone may also be brought in to interpret, even without your consent.

The competent authority will inform the tax office immediately after your registration. You will therefore be registered as a taxpayer. 
Even internally, the authorities are only allowed to use your data for matters relating directly to this law. They are entitled to pass on your data to other agencies, for instance the police, if you are suspected of committing an administrative or criminal offence.

If you decide not to renew your registration, your data must be deleted no later than three months after the expiry of your registration certificate. You must get in touch with your competent authority due to the deletion of your data if you decided to stop working as a prostitute at an earlier date. Excepted from this rule are situations in which there are very particular reasons not to delete your data. Ask your competent authority what these reasons may be.
Managers of establishments are required to keep records of the prostitutes who provided sexual services for a period of two years.