AfA Calculator: German Property Depreciation
In Germany you depreciate the building, never the land, at 2% per year for buildings completed between 1925 and 2022, 3% for buildings completed from 2023, and 2.5% for buildings from before 1925. That deduction, called AfA (Absetzung für Abnutzung), reduces your taxable income every year you rent the property out. Enter your numbers below to see the annual amount and the schedule it follows.
AfA rates and methods on German rental property
| Method | Annual rate | Applied to | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linear, built 2023 or later§7 (4) EStG | 3% | Building value | 33 years |
| Linear, built 1925 to 2022§7 (4) EStG | 2% | Building value | 50 years |
| Linear, built before 1925§7 (4) EStG | 2.5% | Building value | 40 years |
| Degressive§7 (5a) EStG | 5% of the value still on the books | Building value, completed 2023 to 2029 | Falls every year, switchable to linear |
| Sonder-AfA§7b EStG | 5% on top of the base rate | Building value, qualifying new-build rental housing | First 4 years |
| Heritage (Denkmal-AfA)§7i / §7h EStG | 9% for years 1 to 8, then 7% | Approved restoration costs only | 12 years |
The linear rate is the default and depends only on when the building was completed. Degressive AfA is an alternative to it, Sonder-AfA stacks on top of it, and heritage AfA runs alongside it: the restoration spend depreciates at 9% while the old building underneath keeps running on its own linear rate. The calculator below covers the linear, degressive and Sonder-AfA routes.
Worked example: a 400.000 € apartment built 1995
- Purchase price 400.000 €, of which 80% is building: 320.000 € depreciable, 80.000 € land which is not.
- Built in 1995, so the linear rate is 2% per year over 50 years.
- Annual AfA: 6.400 € deducted from rental income each year.
- Over the first ten years that comes to 64.000 € of deductions, leaving 256.000 € of the building still on the books.
What that is worth to you in tax depends on the rest of the rental result, not on the AfA by itself. Rent, loan interest and running costs are declared in the same Anlage V, and it is the net figure that changes your taxable income. To put a number on it, use the rental property calculator, which models rent, financing and costs over a holding period.
These figures are illustrative and based on general assumptions. They do not constitute financial, tax, or investment advice. Individual results depend on your personal circumstances. Consult a licensed tax advisor (Steuerberater) for advice specific to your situation.
Calculate your own
FAQs
The standard linear rate depends on when the building was completed: 3% per year for buildings finished in 2023 or later, 2% for buildings from 1925 to 2022, and 2.5% for buildings completed before 1925. The rate applies to the building value only, never to the land. A 2% rate writes the building off over 50 years, which is where the common '50 years' figure comes from.
Depreciation reflects wear and tear on an asset with a finite useful life. Land does not wear out, so only the building portion of the purchase price is depreciable. The split is usually taken from the notarial purchase contract, or derived from the local Bodenrichtwert (standard land value) where the contract does not state one. A building share of 70% to 85% is typical, with the lower end in expensive inner-city locations where land carries more of the price.
Linear AfA deducts the same amount every year, calculated on the original building value. Degressive AfA (§7 (5a) EStG) deducts 5% of the remaining book value each year, so the deduction is larger early on and shrinks over time. Degressive AfA is restricted to buildings completed between 2023 and 2029. Which one produces more value depends on your marginal tax rate now versus later, and on how long you intend to hold.
Sonder-AfA under §7b EStG is an additional 5% per year for the first 4 years on qualifying new-build rental housing, on top of the standard rate rather than instead of it. Qualification depends on construction dates, cost ceilings per square metre, and energy standards, so eligibility is worth confirming before relying on it.
AfA is a deduction against your rental income, not a credit against tax. It lowers your taxable income, so it is worth more at higher marginal rates. It is only one line of the calculation, though: rent comes in, and loan interest, maintenance and running costs come off alongside the AfA. Only the net rental result changes your taxable income, and it moves every year as the interest portion of your mortgage falls. That is why this page sizes the deduction but does not price it. The rental property calculator models the full position over a holding period.
Depreciation is entered in Anlage V, the annex for income from rent and lease (Einkünfte aus Vermietung und Verpachtung), alongside your rental income, loan interest, maintenance and running costs. You claim it every year for as long as you hold the property and rent it out.
If you sell within the ten-year Spekulationsfrist, the gain is taxable and the depreciation you claimed reduces the book value used to calculate that gain, which increases the taxable gain. If you sell after ten years, the gain on a privately held residential property is generally tax free and the depreciation already claimed is not clawed back.
“Four months later, I bought another in Frankfurt for €600k”
“Explained everything clearly and provided a tailored solution”
“An honest sparring partner for financial decisions”
“Three weeks from curiosity to purchase”