Switching your salary account is less work than many assume, because the Payment Accounts Act (ZKG) provides an account switching service. The new bank takes over key steps: it collects standing orders and direct debit mandates from the old bank and tells payers and payees your new account details. To make sure your salary arrives on time, you should still know the process and the deadlines.
In short: For the switching service you give the new bank a written authorisation (section 21 ZKG). It asks the old bank within two business days to send the data (section 22 ZKG). The old bank delivers the lists within five business days (section 23 ZKG), and the new bank sets everything up within five business days after that (section 24 ZKG). Last updated: November 2026.
Key points at a glance
- Consumers are entitled to switching assistance from the banks involved (section 20 ZKG).
- You need a written authorisation, which can also be given in online banking (section 21 ZKG).
- The new bank asks the old bank within two business days to deliver lists and information (section 22 ZKG).
- The old bank sends lists and information within five business days and may not block payment cards before the switching date (section 23 ZKG).
- The new bank sets up standing orders and informs payers such as your employer about the new account details (section 24 ZKG).
- Both banks are jointly and severally liable to you for breaches of duty (section 25 ZKG).
How does the account switching service work?
The legal basis is sections 20 ff. of the Payment Accounts Act (in German). Payment service providers must help consumers switch accounts on request. The duty does not apply if one of the providers is not established within the scope of the Act or if the accounts are not held in the same currency (section 20(2) ZKG). Assistance is given only after an authorisation (section 20(3) ZKG).
The authorisation under section 21 ZKG (in German) must be in writing and is in principle drawn up in German. You must receive forms promptly on request, and you get a copy. The authorisation can also be given in online banking. Only then does the switching assistance start.
Which deadlines apply when switching?
| Step | Who | Deadline | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ask the old bank to deliver lists and information | New bank | Within two business days of receiving the authorisation | Section 22 ZKG |
| Send lists of standing orders and direct debit mandates and information on incoming payments of the last 13 months | Old bank | Within five business days | Section 22, section 23(1) no. 1 ZKG |
| Set up standing orders, prepare direct debits, notify the new account details | New bank | Within five business days of receiving the lists | Section 24(1) ZKG |
| Earliest switching date | Both | At least the sixth business day after receipt of the lists | Section 24(3) ZKG |
The switching date is the date from which standing orders and payments run to the new account. If the requested date is less than six business days after receipt of the lists, the sixth business day applies instead. Plan generously. If the banks use the full deadlines, roughly 13 business days (two, five and six business days) lie between the authorisation and the earliest switching date, so a little over two weeks. Two to three weeks is therefore a planning assumption with a buffer, not a statutory deadline. The switch should not take place right before your salary arrives.
What does the old bank do, and what does the new one?
Under section 23 ZKG (in German), the old bank sends the lists and information, no longer accepts direct debits and transfers from the switching date unless an automatic redirection exists, and no longer executes standing orders. It informs payers and payees about the reason. The remaining balance is transferred to the new account, and the account is closed once the steps are completed. It may not block payment authentication instruments such as cards before the switching date.
The new bank (section 24 ZKG, in German) sets up the standing orders and prepares for direct debits. It tells payers and payees the new account details and requests missing information. On request it provides template letters that can replace these notifications. It also informs you about your rights, for example to limit or block direct debits.
What do I need to do myself so my salary arrives?
The service does not replace every task of your own. For a salary account in particular, it pays to check against your situation:
- Choose the new bank and open the account before you give the authorisation.
- Give the authorisation in writing or in online banking and keep the copy.
- As a precaution, tell your employer or payroll department the new IBAN yourself, even though the new bank notifies payers. Mind the payroll deadlines.
- After the lists arrive, check that all standing orders and direct debits were transferred completely. Pay particular attention to rarely due payments such as annual premiums.
- If possible, keep the old account open for a few weeks beyond the switching date until all payments have been moved. The old bank closes it under section 23 ZKG once its steps are completed, so agree the timing with it.
- Check salary, rent and insurance contributions in the first months.
How to split your first salary sensibly is covered in Erstes Gehalt richtig aufteilen: Budget, Notgroschen, Vorsorge (in German). The switch itself does not belong there, but the timing often coincides.
Who is liable if something goes wrong?
Under section 25 ZKG (in German), both payment service providers are jointly and severally liable to the consumer for breaches of duty. If an error in the switch costs you money, for instance through an unexecuted direct debit, you can turn to either bank. Keep proof, note date and amount and ask for reimbursement in writing.
What if a bank will not give me an account?
If you have trouble getting an account, the right to a basic account can help. Under section 31 ZKG (in German), institutions that offer payment accounts to consumers must conclude a basic account contract with eligible consumers who are legally resident in the EU if the application meets the requirements. The offer must come without delay, at the latest within ten business days of receipt of the application. International students find documents and hints in Girokonto als internationale Studierende (in German).
When is switching worthwhile?
Switching is worthwhile if prices or services no longer fit your use. This can be a fee notice, as described in Wenn die Bank Gebühren erhöht (in German), or the move from study into work with a new salary. Check the base price, card fees, cash withdrawals and foreign payments in the price lists. This guide does not recommend specific banks or accounts. To close the old account without the switching service, see Girokonto kündigen: Frist, Ablauf und Restguthaben (in German).
Frequently asked questions
How long does a switch with the switching service take?
By law, several business days lie between authorisation and switching date: two until the old bank is asked, five until the lists are delivered, five until set-up at the new bank and at least six business days to the switching date after receipt of the lists. If the banks use the full deadlines, that adds up to roughly 13 business days. Plan two to three weeks with a buffer; that is a planning assumption, not a statutory deadline.
Are all payments moved automatically?
The new bank sets up standing orders, prepares direct debits and tells payers and payees the new account details. Check anyway whether everything arrived, especially for rare payments.
What happens to the remaining balance on the old account?
The old bank transfers the remaining balance to the new account and closes the old account once the intended steps are completed (section 23 ZKG).
Can the old bank block my card beforehand?
No. It may not block payment authentication instruments such as cards before the switching date (section 23(2) ZKG).
Do I have to inform my employer myself?
The new bank is meant to inform payers about the new account details. For salary it makes sense to notify your employer yourself as well, so that payroll runs to the new IBAN in time.
What to do now
- Compare price lists and open the new account.
- Give the written authorisation for the account switching service.
- Inform your employer and check whether all standing orders were transferred.
- Have the old account closed only once all payments are safely moved.
Related guides
- Geld, Konto und Kredit: Der Überblick für junge Erwachsene (in German)
- Erstes Gehalt richtig aufteilen: Budget, Notgroschen, Vorsorge (in German)
- Kontogebühren steigen: Was du als Kunde tun kannst (in German)
- Girokonto kündigen: Frist, Ablauf und Restguthaben (in German)
- Organise Student Finances: Account, Reserve and Deadlines
Sources: Section 20 ZKG, Gesetze im Internet; Section 22 ZKG, Gesetze im Internet; Section 24 ZKG, Gesetze im Internet; Payment Accounts Act (ZKG), Gesetze im Internet, all retrieved on 2 November 2026.
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
