How can I register my new residence?
You must submit a notice of residence to the city or rural municipality government of your place of residence.
A notice of residence can be submitted:
- in the e-population register. You can also view the information and status of the notice of residence you already submitted there in the e-population register.
- by sending a digitally signed e-mail to the rural municipality or city government/in Tallinn, to the district government of your place of residence (to the city district government in Tallinn)
- by sending a regular letter to the city or rural municipality government of your place of residence, adding a copy of the side of your identity document that shows personal data to the notice of residence
- at the city or rural municipality government.
Printable and digitally fillable form of notice of residence is available on the homepage of Ministry of the Interior.
A notice of residence must be signed by all adults presented on the notice of residence except individuals under his or her guardianship.
For more information, please read the article on registering residence in the state portal and visit the website of the Ministry of the Interior.
What data are provided on the notice of residence?
Address information of the new residence shall be provided on the notice of residence. People living together may submit a joint notice of residence. The notice of residence must also contain information about minor children.
The property whose address the individual states in the notice of residence must be a residential building or apartment.
If you want, you can add to the notice of residence your contact details, such as e-mail address, mailbox number, phone number, number of another means of communication, or address of another dwelling as contact address if you live in another place for a longer period or sometimes or if only the city, rural municipality, city district, or rural municipality district has been marked as your residence.
When registering a place of residence for the first time, an EU citizen may also state the date of leaving Estonia and the address in a foreign state where he or she is going in the residence notice.
Printable and digitally fillable form of notice of residence is available on the homepage of Ministry of the Interior.
Can family members or other people living at the same address submit a joint notice of residence?
People who live together can submit a joint notice of residence. If information of minors and wards is changed, their information shall also be included on the notice of residence.
All adult persons listed on the notice of residence shall sign the notice of residence (excluding wards).
A written consent of the other parent who has right of custody shall be submitted to register the residence of a minor child. The signed consent shall be marked on or added to the notice of residence as a separate document.
Am I obligated to notify the State about my change of residence?
You have an obligation pursuant to law to make sure your residence address in the Population Register is correct. When you are changing your residence in Estonia, relocating to a foreign country, or relocating from a foreign country to Estonia, you need to submit a notice of residence to register a new place of residence in the Population Register.
To enter residence data into the Population Register, the notice shall be submitted within 14 days to the city or rural municipality government of your place or residence; in Tallinn, to the corresponding city district government.
When moving to a foreign country, you will be required to submit a residence report within 30 days of your new residence.
In which cases can the city or rural municipality government decline my residence registration?
City or rural municipality government may decline residence registration:
- if the person is not the owner of the dwelling provided on the notice of residence and they do not have the owner’s consent or permission to use the dwelling;
- if it is not a dwelling;
- if information provided on the notice of residence is incomplete;
- if the person has provided incorrect data on the notice of residence.
You can view the information and status of the notice of residence you already submitted in the e-population register.
What should I consider when submitting a notice of residence as a lessee?
If you are not the owner of the dwelling, a copy of the lease agreement or permission from the owner of the dwelling shall be added to the notice of residence to enter the information of the place of residence provided on the notice of residence into the Population Register. A signature on the notice of residence or consent on a separate document is considered a permission.
If you are leasing a dwelling in common ownership, consent from all co-owners or their representatives is required.
Persons registered on my premises and terminating their registration
The owner of a property has the right to submit an application to the rural municipality or city government/in Tallinn, to the district government to change the information concerning an individual’s place of residence entered in the population register if the property belonging to the owner is indicated as the residence of an individual, and the individual has no right to use the property as his or her residence or the individual does not use the property as his or her residence.
The owner of a property may submit an application to the the rural municipality or city government/in Tallinn, to the district government for changing the address:
- by using the e-service of the population register
- by sending a digitally signed application by e-mail
- by hand signed application by post
- by going to the local authority office in person.
More information on changing the addresses can be found on the webpage of Ministry of the Interior and in the State Portal article "Registering residence" .
I have to change my family physician
You can search for a family physician closer to your new residence on the homepage of the health insurance fund.
In order to be entered into the practice list of a family physician, you have to submit an application to your new family physician. A separate application shall be submitted for each family member. If there are no available places in the practice list of the family physician, they will reply to you within 7 days.
More information on registration on the list of a family physician or for exchanging the family physician can be found on the homepage of the health insurance fund.
The transfer to the list of a new family physician will take effect on the first day of the next calendar month.
My child must change schools
Be sure to look up early what your child’s education possibilities in the new residence are. Contact the education official of the city or rural municipality government at the place that is going to be your residence to find a place in a school for your child. They will also tell you which documents you need to submit for the child to be accepted to the school.
If you want to choose a school for your child yourself, contact your chosen school and ask about available places.
Once you have found a place for your child in a new school, you need to submit an application to your child’s current school to have the child deleted from its list.
Include your contact information (phone number, e-mail address) on the application for release from school so that the school could contact you, if necessary. Also include on the application the name and location of the new school where your child will continue their studies.
Forward the information of your new residence or your contact details to the local government for entry into the Population Register.
More information on changing schools can be found in the article of the State Portal Changing Schools.
How to find a suitable nursery school for my child?
You can choose a nursery school for your child from municipal nursery schools or private nursery schools if there are available places in your chosen nursery school.
If a child’s registered residence is in the corresponding city or rural municipality, they are entitled to a place in a municipal nursery school.
When searching for a nursery school for your child, it would be wise to contact the education official of your local government who can explain to you the conditions for accepting a child into a nursery school and procedure for applying for a nursery school place.
Termination of the network contract and electricity contract and entering into a new contract
First, terminate the network contract with your current service provider. You can terminate the network contract at the network operator or their authorised representative. If the network contract is terminated, the electricity contract will also be terminated. You do not need to contact the electricity supplier to terminate the electricity contract.
In your new place of residence, first enter into a network contract with a network operator whose network covers the place of consumption. Upon entering into a network contract, you can conclude a contract with an electricity provider of your choice. It is wise to conclude an electricity contract on the same day you concluded a network contract – this way, both contracts will enter into force at the same time.
More detailed information can be found on the website of Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority.
Do I have to enter into a waste transport agreement when I change residence?
When you change residence, you have to enter into a new waste transport agreement with a waste transport company that has been authorised by the local government to transport waste in that area.
More information regarding waste transport can be found on the website of your local government or an environmental official who will assist you in entering into the agreement, if necessary.
You should also terminate the waste transport agreement of your previous place of residence to avoid future invoices for unladen journeys.
Apartment associations that use mutual containers form an exception – in that case, entering into a separate waste transport agreement is not necessary.
If you do not live on a registered immovable or do not use the registered immovable, you can apply for exemption from organised waste transport from your local government.
Connecting to the public water supply and sewerage system
Abstraction of water from the public water supply and directing wastewater to the public sewerage system is regulated by an agreement concluded between the water company and the customer. In order to conclude a connection agreement, you will need to submit an application to the water company operating in the region of the registered immovable.
The data required in the connection application is listed in the State Portal article ‘Connecting to the public water supply and sewerage system’.
More information about connecting to the public water supply and sewerage system is available on the website of the local government of your new place of residence.
Joining the gas network
In order to join the gas network, the customer and gas seller must agree on the terms of the connection and enter into a new connection agreement and a contract of purchase and sale of natural gas. The terms of the agreement can be read and an agreement signed in all customer service offices of companies that sell gas.
The documents required for signing the agreement on the purchase and sale of natural gas are listed in the article ‘Joining the gas network’.
The seller generally designs and builds the gas pipeline based on the agreement on purchase and sale of natural gas up to the connection point, which is a valve device at the property line. The customer is responsible for designing and building the gas pipeline at its own expense from the connection point and for installing gas appliances.
Procedures with communications (internet, TV, etc.) and postal service providers
Contact your communications service provider to redirect a service to a new address.
If you wish to redirect your subscribed publications to a new address, contact the postal service provider by calling their customer service, via e-mail, or go to a post office of Omniva (if Omniva is the service provider).
I have to change the address of my business in the register data
A business address can be changed electronically in the e-Business Register. An amendment entry application shall be submitted to the e-Business Register for this.
If the new address of a business is in another city or rural municipality, you must also amend your Articles of Association. A file including the amended Articles of Association and general meeting minutes or shareholders’ decision on confirming the Articles of Association shall be added to the electronic application. The state fee shall be paid upon amendment of the Articles of Association.
If the address is changed within the same local government (e.g. city), you do not need to submit additional documents to the application or pay the state fee.
I am moving to a foreign country
Upon leaving Estonia, you can submit the information of your residence located in another country to a local government in Estonia with the notice of residence.
If you are already living in a foreign country, you can submit an application to register information regarding your permanent residence to an Estonian foreign mission or honorary consul or, if there is none, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The consular official or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will forward the information to the Population Register.
The application can be submitted:
- via the e-population register;
- by digitally signing it and sending it via e-mail to address [email protected] or to a foreign mission of Estonia
- by mail to a foreign mission or honorary consul of Estonia. In that case, you have to add a copy of the page of your identity document that shows personal data to the application;
- by mail to the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Islandi väljak 1, 15049 Tallinn). In that case, you have to add a copy of the page of your identity document that shows personal data to the application;
- personally to a foreign mission or honorary consul of Estonia (you need to book an appointment).
Forms
- Printable and digitally fillable form of notice of residence
- Application for registering information on residence located in a foreign country
Related articles
References
- Changing a business address in the Commercial Register
- Estonian Representations around the World
- Choosing and changing a family physician
Services
- Applying for a place in a nursery school in Tallinn (in Estonian)
- Applying for a place in a nursery school in Tartu (in Estonian)
- Submitting an amendment entry application to e-Business Portal
- Submitting a notice of residence
- Termination of residential address by the owner