No Schufa Score Yet? You Can Still Get an Electricity Contract in Munich
Not having a Schufa score yet, common for anyone newly arrived in Germany, doesn't actually block you from getting electricity. Section 36 of the Energiewirtschaftsgesetz (EnWG) gives every household a legal right to supply from the regional Grundversorger, Stadtwerke München (SWM) for the city itself, regardless of creditworthiness. If SWM or another provider still hesitates without a Schufa record, two standard workarounds exist: Vorauskasse, paying your estimated annual usage upfront rather than in monthly installments, removes the provider's payment-default risk entirely since there's no Schufa relevance left to check; or a Kaution, a security deposit held for the contract's duration and used only if a payment is actually missed. Providers generally can't refuse a customer offering one of these safeguards, and if one company does decline, contacting another, especially smaller or more locally focused providers who tend to be more flexible than big national discounters, doesn't hurt your creditworthiness and often succeeds.
The Official Rule
If you’ve just arrived in Germany and don’t have a Schufa score yet, simply because there’s no credit history built up here, it’s a genuinely common situation, and it doesn’t lock you out of getting electricity connected.
Section 36 of the Energiewirtschaftsgesetz (EnWG) establishes a legal right to Grundversorgung, basic electricity supply, from your region’s default provider, regardless of your creditworthiness. For Munich itself, that provider is Stadtwerke München (SWM). This is a real legal guarantee, not just a courtesy, so an outright refusal to supply you any electricity at all runs against it.
| Option | How it works |
|---|---|
| Vorauskasse (prepayment) | Pay your estimated annual usage upfront, removing ongoing payment-default risk entirely |
| Kaution (security deposit) | A deposit held for the contract term, used only if a payment is actually missed |
Where things get more practical is when a specific provider hesitates without a Schufa record to check, and two standard workarounds cover most of these cases. Vorauskasse means paying your estimated annual electricity usage upfront rather than spreading it across monthly installments, which removes the provider’s payment-default risk entirely since there’s simply nothing left for a Schufa check to protect against. A Kaution works differently: it’s a security deposit held for the length of the contract, functioning as a passive safeguard that’s only drawn on if a payment is actually missed, rather than money the provider keeps regardless of your payment history.
What Real People Say
The detail worth internalizing is that providers generally can’t simply refuse a customer who’s actively offering one of these safeguards, since Vorauskasse or a Kaution addresses exactly the risk a Schufa check exists to manage in the first place. If one company still declines, that rejection itself doesn’t damage your creditworthiness, and trying a different provider is a completely normal next step rather than a sign something’s wrong with your application.
Smaller, more locally focused providers, and often Stadtwerke themselves, tend to be noticeably more flexible about this than large national discount energy companies, whose sign-up processes are often more automated and less willing to accommodate a Vorauskasse or Kaution arrangement on request.
Step by Step
- Contact Stadtwerke München directly first, since as the Grundversorger they carry a legal obligation to supply you regardless of credit history.
- If a Schufa check comes back empty or negative, proactively offer Vorauskasse or a Kaution rather than waiting to be asked.
- Ask directly what deposit amount or prepayment figure would be required, since this varies by provider and estimated usage rather than following one fixed number.
- If one provider declines, apply to another rather than assuming you’re stuck, this doesn’t hurt your Schufa record or creditworthiness.
- Consider smaller or more locally focused providers, they tend to be more flexible on this specific issue than large national discounters.
Compliance Note
This page explains the general legal framework and standard practices for getting electricity without a Schufa record in Germany, current as of mid-2026. It is not legal advice. Specific deposit amounts, prepayment requirements, and provider policies vary, confirm current terms directly with Stadtwerke München or your chosen provider.
FAQ & Common Pitfalls
Can Stadtwerke München actually refuse to give me electricity because I have no Schufa history?
Not entirely. Section 36 EnWG establishes a legal right to Grundversorgung, basic supply, from the regional default provider, which is Stadtwerke München for the city, regardless of your credit history. A provider may still ask for a safeguard like Vorauskasse or a Kaution given no Schufa record, but an outright refusal to supply you at all runs against this legal guarantee.
What exactly is Vorauskasse, and how does it remove the Schufa issue?
Vorauskasse means paying your estimated annual electricity usage upfront, rather than in monthly installments over the year. Since the provider already has your payment in hand before supplying you, there's no ongoing payment-default risk left for them to worry about, which is exactly what a Schufa check is normally used to assess in the first place.
How much is a typical Kaution deposit, and do I get it back?
The exact amount varies by provider and estimated usage rather than following one fixed nationwide figure, so it's worth asking directly when you apply. It functions as a passive safeguard, held for the duration of the contract and only used if you actually miss a payment, rather than money the provider keeps regardless.
If one provider rejects me, does applying to another one hurt my chances?
No. Applying to a different provider after one rejection doesn't damage your creditworthiness or Schufa record. Smaller, more locally focused providers, including Stadtwerke themselves in many cases, tend to be more flexible on this than large national discount providers, so it's worth trying more than one option before assuming you're stuck.