Street names

Street names:

Street names are used for orientation in the urban or municipal area and fulfil an organisational function for citizens and authorities alike. In addition to the regulatory function, street naming can serve to preserve municipal tradition or honour deserving citizens and personalities.

The right to name public streets (and squares) is a matter of self-government for the municipalities. The naming right also includes the right to change existing names. Street naming is at the discretion of the municipality. It has wide discretionary powers when choosing a street name. Residents do not have a "right" to a specific street name. The street names must ensure sufficient distinctiveness. When renaming a street, the existing interests of the neighbouring residents in retaining the previous street name must be taken into account when weighing up the options.

Street name signs:

As part of its authority for the development of properties, the federal legislator has laid down regulations for licence plates and signs for development facilities and for (house) numbers in Section 126 of the German Building Code. The property owner must tolerate the installation, modification and removal of licence plates and signs for development facilities on their property. Access to the property for this purpose must also be tolerated. The developer (not the property owner) must bear the costs of installing the street name signs.

House numbers:

The property owner is obliged to provide their property with the house number specified by the municipality. This obligation includes obtaining, installing, maintaining and bearing the costs of the sign. The costs may also include the costs of renumbering.