Deutsche Rentenversicherung Edition V0020-00, Version 34020 (PDF of 19.08.2026) 9 pages

V0020 — Questionnaire on Compulsory Pension Insurance for the Self-Employed (Versicherungspflicht als selbständig Tätige)

The Deutsche Rentenversicherung form that decides whether your self-employment brings compulsory pension contributions. It is also the application to opt into them.

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V0020 — Versicherungspflicht für Selbständige · V0020 Fragebogen zur Feststellung der Versicherungspflicht kraft Gesetzes als selbständig Tätige(r) — questionnaire on compulsory German pension insurance for the self-employed
The official Deutsche Rentenversicherung form, edition V0020-00, Version 34020 (PDF of 19.08.2026) — blank
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V0020 — Versicherungspflicht für Selbständige (2026) V0020 Fragebogen zur Feststellung der Versicherungspflicht kraft Gesetzes als selbständig Tätige(r) — questionnaire on compulsory German pension insurance for the self-employed — page 1 of 9
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V0020 — Versicherungspflicht für Selbständige (2026) V0020 Fragebogen zur Feststellung der Versicherungspflicht kraft Gesetzes als selbständig Tätige(r) — questionnaire on compulsory German pension insurance for the self-employed — page 2 of 9
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V0020 — Versicherungspflicht für Selbständige (2026) V0020 Fragebogen zur Feststellung der Versicherungspflicht kraft Gesetzes als selbständig Tätige(r) — questionnaire on compulsory German pension insurance for the self-employed — page 3 of 9
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V0020 — Versicherungspflicht für Selbständige (2026) V0020 Fragebogen zur Feststellung der Versicherungspflicht kraft Gesetzes als selbständig Tätige(r) — questionnaire on compulsory German pension insurance for the self-employed — page 4 of 9
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V0020 — Versicherungspflicht für Selbständige (2026) V0020 Fragebogen zur Feststellung der Versicherungspflicht kraft Gesetzes als selbständig Tätige(r) — questionnaire on compulsory German pension insurance for the self-employed — page 5 of 9
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V0020 — Versicherungspflicht für Selbständige (2026) V0020 Fragebogen zur Feststellung der Versicherungspflicht kraft Gesetzes als selbständig Tätige(r) — questionnaire on compulsory German pension insurance for the self-employed — page 6 of 9
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V0020 — Versicherungspflicht für Selbständige (2026) V0020 Fragebogen zur Feststellung der Versicherungspflicht kraft Gesetzes als selbständig Tätige(r) — questionnaire on compulsory German pension insurance for the self-employed — page 7 of 9
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V0020 — Versicherungspflicht für Selbständige (2026) V0020 Fragebogen zur Feststellung der Versicherungspflicht kraft Gesetzes als selbständig Tätige(r) — questionnaire on compulsory German pension insurance for the self-employed — page 8 of 9
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V0020 — Versicherungspflicht für Selbständige (2026) V0020 Fragebogen zur Feststellung der Versicherungspflicht kraft Gesetzes als selbständig Tätige(r) — questionnaire on compulsory German pension insurance for the self-employed — page 9 of 9
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What is V0020 — Versicherungspflicht für Selbständige?

Being self-employed in Germany doesn't always mean being outside the statutory pension scheme. The DRV's explanatory notes (V0021) list self-employed people who are compulsorily insured by law, without applying. They include teachers, trainers and educators, carers such as physiotherapists, and midwives, where they have no insured employees. Craftspeople entered in the Handwerksrolle are on the list, and so are people who work permanently and essentially for one client. Form V0020 gives the DRV what it needs to decide. Tick the second box at the top and the same form becomes an application to be compulsorily insured on request, which V0021 says must be made within five years of starting.

The form is long because the DRV is testing several rules at once. You describe the business, its address and any Handwerksrolle entry, and say whether you also work in another EU country. You list every school or institution you teach for, with the new consent declarations for insurance from 2027 or 2028 and any status decision you already have. Then you show whether your profit exceeds the marginal-earnings limit (603 EUR a month from 2026), whether you have employees, who your clients are and what legal form the business takes. Section 3 asks the classic employment-status questions: instructions, fixed hours, working at the client's premises. Finally you choose the half, standard or income-related contribution and how to pay.

FileIt explains every question in English with the German wording alongside and skips what the form says to skip. It prints your answers onto the official PDF, including names with Polish or Romanian letters and an income estimate right-aligned in its boxes, and saves it in your vault. You sign it by hand and post it with your contracts and evidence.

Who fills it
A self-employed person in Germany, to have compulsory pension insurance checked or to apply for it
Given to
Deutsche Rentenversicherung (your pension insurance carrier)
Length
9 pages
Signatures
The applicant's handwritten signature, with place and date
Edition
V0020-00, Version 34020 (August 2026)

Who needs to fill out V0020 — Versicherungspflicht für Selbständige?

  • Freelance teachers, lecturers, coaches, driving and swimming instructors, and childminders without insured staff.
  • Self-employed carers and therapists, such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists, and midwives.
  • Freelancers who work mainly for a single client.
  • Self-employed people who aren't insured by law but want to pay compulsory contributions, within five years of starting.

When to use V0020 — Versicherungspflicht für Selbständige

  • Soon after you start a self-employed activity that may fall under compulsory insurance. V0021 explains that insurance by law starts on the first day of the activity, even if the DRV only learns of it later.
  • When the Deutsche Rentenversicherung sends you the questionnaire.
  • When you want to apply for compulsory insurance on request. V0021 says insurance then starts when the conditions are first met if you apply within 3 months, otherwise on the day after the application arrives.

What you need before you start

  • Your insurance number if you have one, your personal details and address.
  • A description of your work, the business address, and evidence such as your business registration (Gewerbeanmeldung).
  • The contracts with your clients or institutions, any consent declarations for teaching, and any status decision, for example from the DRV's Clearingstelle.
  • Your estimated monthly profit since you started, and for an income-related contribution, the estimated profit for the year with a tax adviser's certificate or other documents.
  • Details of any employees, company agreement, A1 certificate, start-up grant notice or old-age pension, as the questions apply.
  • The SEPA mandate V0005 if you want contributions collected by direct debit.

What’s on V0020 — Versicherungspflicht für Selbständige

The 2026 edition has 9 pages. FileIt asks for it in 10 parts, and it is signed by Self-employed person (antragsteller/-in):

  1. Questionnaire or application (Fragebogen / Antrag)Self-employed person (antragsteller/-in)
  2. 1 · About you (Angaben zur Person)Self-employed person (antragsteller/-in)
  3. 2.1 · Your self-employed activity (Angaben zur selbständigen Tätigkeit)Self-employed person (antragsteller/-in)
  4. 2.2 · Teaching (Angaben zu Lehrtätigkeiten)Self-employed person (antragsteller/-in)
  5. 2.3 · Minor self-employment (geringfügige selbständige Tätigkeit)Self-employed person (antragsteller/-in)
  6. 2.4–2.7 · Employees, clients, company form, pensionsSelf-employed person (antragsteller/-in)
  7. 3 · More about your work (Weitere Angaben zur ausgeübten Tätigkeit)Self-employed person (antragsteller/-in)
  8. 4–5 · Monthly contribution and payment (Monatliche Beitragshöhe, Zahlungsweg)Self-employed person (antragsteller/-in)
  9. 6 · Documents for blind and partially sighted people (Dokumentenzugang)Self-employed person (antragsteller/-in)
  10. 7–8 · Declaration and enclosures (Erklärung, Anlagen)Self-employed person (antragsteller/-in)

How to fill out V0020 — Versicherungspflicht für Selbständige, step by step

1 Fragebogen or Antrag

Tick whether this is the questionnaire to establish compulsory insurance by law, or the application for compulsory insurance on request.

2 1 · Angaben zur Person

Insurance number, names including birth and former names, date of birth, sex, nationality, place and country of birth, address and phone.

3 2.1 · Selbständige Tätigkeit

What you do and since when, the business address, a short description in three lines, any Handwerksrolle entry with the chamber, and work in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland (enclose an A1 or E101 if you have one).

4 2.2 · Lehrtätigkeiten

If you teach: up to three schools or institutions, whether you both assumed self-employment, and whether you gave a consent declaration for insurance from 1.1.2027 or 1.1.2028, with its date. Then any status decision with the body, date, file number and result.

5 2.3–2.7 · Income, staff, clients, company, pension

Whether your profit exceeds 603 EUR a month (activities from 2026), or a period-by-period table against the earlier limits. Then employees, clients, group companies and the 5/6 rule, company form, and any civil-service or professional old-age pension.

6 3 · Weitere Angaben

Only without employees: existing status decisions, start-up grants, earlier employment by your client, working at the client's premises, fixed hours, instructions, changes to your area, substitutes, and a short description of how you act as an entrepreneur.

7 4–9 · Contribution, payment, signature

Half standard, standard or income-related contribution (with your estimated annual profit), direct debit or transfer, optional accessible documents, then the declaration, place, date, signature and enclosures.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Using V0020 for a craft business. V0021 says to fill in V0010 instead if you run a Handwerksbetrieb.
  • Leaving out teaching contracts or consent declarations. Every contract partner counts.
  • Ticking 'not exceeded' when your profit was over the limit for part of the period. 2.3.2 asks for continuous periods with no gaps.
  • Sending no contracts. 2.5 asks for them, and the declaration confirms they match how you really work.
  • Choosing direct debit without enclosing V0005, or choosing the half standard contribution after the first three calendar years following the start.

After you fill it out

Print the form, check it, and sign it by hand on page 9. Add the contracts, evidence and V0005 you listed.

Post it to the Deutsche Rentenversicherung. Your insurance number is on every page. FileIt doesn't send it for you.

The DRV decides whether you are compulsorily insured and sets your contribution. V0021 explains that switching between the half, standard and income-related contribution is possible later, on application, for the future. Keep the form and the decision in your FileIt vault.

Fill out V0020 — Versicherungspflicht für Selbständige online with FileIt

  1. Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
  2. Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 126 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
  3. Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real Deutsche Rentenversicherung form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
  4. Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault. Sign it, or send it for e-signature.

FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.

Start V0020 — Versicherungspflicht für Selbständige now — it’s free

V0020 — Versicherungspflicht für Selbständige: frequently asked questions

What is V0020?

The Deutsche Rentenversicherung questionnaire to establish whether a self-employed person is compulsorily insured in the German pension scheme by law. The same form is also the application to become compulsorily insured on request.

Can I fill out V0020 online?

Yes. FileIt guides you through V0020 in English and fills the official PDF, which you print, sign and post with your evidence.

Which self-employed people are insured by law?

V0021 lists, among others, teachers and educators and carers without insured employees, midwives, craftspeople in the Handwerksrolle, artists and writers through the Künstlersozialkasse, and self-employed people who work essentially for one client.

What is the 603 EUR in section 2.3?

The marginal-earnings limit (Geringfügigkeitsgrenze) from 1.1.2026, printed on the form. If your monthly profit stays at or below the limit, the form says sections 4 and 5 aren't needed.

What is the consent declaration for teachers?

Question 2.2.1 asks whether you gave your contract partner a declaration that insurance because of employment should only start from 1.1.2027 or 1.1.2028. The form asks for its date.

Can I stop compulsory insurance once it starts?

V0021 says you can't opt out. It ends when the conditions stop, for example when you give up the activity or, for some groups, when you permanently employ an insured employee.

Official sources

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by Deutsche Rentenversicherung or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-10-19.

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