Then close the box and use this Website in German.
Submit the requested activity and income certificates to the Artists' Social Security Fund for review at the end of the period of entry into the profession
As a newcomer to the profession, have you not earned the minimum income in the first three years of your work? Then you must prove to the Künstlersozialkasse that you are gainfully employed.
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Basic information
As a newcomer to the profession, you will be insured for the first three years of your self-employed artistic or journalistic activity even if your income does not exceed the limit of EUR 3,900 per year. The Künstlersozialkasse will check your income reports at the end of this initial period.
You are obliged to provide information and documents as part of this review.
The information and documents relate, among other things, to
- the areas in which you are self-employed as an artist or journalist,
- how much income you earn from this work,
- the other areas in which you are active,
- which types of income your earned income comes from.
The Artists' Social Insurance Fund uses this information to check whether you still meet the requirements for compulsory insurance or entitlement to a subsidy under the Artists' Social Insurance Act.
If you do not provide your information on time or provide incomplete information, you will jeopardize your insurance status or entitlement to a subsidy.
Requirements
- You are currently subject to compulsory insurance or entitled to a subsidy via the Artists' Social Security Fund.
- Your entry period has ended.
- You have not exceeded the minimum income threshold of EUR 3,900 per year at least once during the period in which you started your career.
- You have been asked by the Künstlersozialkasse to disclose your income situation for the audit.
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Procedure
The Künstlersozialkasse will send you a letter asking you to prove that you are currently exercising your self-employed artistic or journalistic activity for gain.
You can submit your answer online or by post.
Online notification:
- Call up the online form on the federal portal verwaltung.bund.de. This will guide you step by step through the necessary information, which you can enter electronically.
- Note: You will need a valid ELSTER certificate to log in to the online form. Alternatively, you can use your electronic ID document.
- You will need around 20 minutes to complete the online application.
- First enter your personal details, including your insurance number. You will find this on the letter from the Artists' Social Insurance Fund in the top right-hand corner.
- On the next page, you will first receive general information.
- You then enter details of your employment certificates and upload them directly, if available.
- You then answer questions about your proof of income and upload this too, if available.
Notification by post:
- Send the requested proof of activity and proof of income to the Künstlersozialkasse.
- Please also state your insurance number. You will find this in the top right-hand corner of the letter from the Künstlersozialkasse.
After receiving your reply, the Künstlersozialkasse will check your details. You will receive a written notification of the result of the check from the Künstlersozialkasse.
More information
Legal remedy: Appeal. Detailed information on how to lodge an appeal can be found in the notice from the Künstlersozialkasse.
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Necessary Documents
- Completed online application or free response letter to the written request from the Artists' Social Security Fund
- Contracts with your clients
- Statements from your clients about your remuneration, fees and honoraria
- Invoices issued by you together with a bank receipt confirming receipt of the invoice amounts
- Income tax assessments or profit and loss statements
- The documents should not be older than 6 months. If you send your notification by post, it is sufficient to enclose a copy of the documents listed here.
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Competent Department
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Artists’ Social Insurance Fund (KSK), Insured Persons’ Department Künstlersozialkasse (KSK), Abteilung Versicherte
- +49 4421 9289000
- Gökerstraße 14, 26384 Wilhelmshaven
- Website
- Für Künstlersozialversicherung: auskunft
@kuenstlersozialkasse. de , Für Künstlersozialabgabe: abgabe @kuenstlersozialkasse. de
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Fees / Costs
free of charge
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Deadlines & processing time
What deadlines must be paid attention to?
There is no deadline.
How long does it take to process
1 week to 24 weeks
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More Information
- Erläuterungen zum Begriff des Arbeitseinkommens auf der Internetseite der Künstlersozialkasse
- Voraussetzungen für eine Versicherung bei der Künstlersozialkasse
- Infos zu Ausnahmen von der Versicherungspflicht auf der Internetseite der Künstlersozialkasse
- Explanatory notes on the concept of earned income on the Artists’ Social Insurance Fund’s website
- Eligibility criteria for insurance with the Artists’ Social Insurance Fund
- Information on exemptions from compulsory insurance on the Künstlersozialkasse website
This page has been automatically translated by DeepL. We cannot guarantee that the translation is correct.
The official information in German is complete and correct.
Updated on 23.09.2026