💳 Banking & money
Open a bank account, read your first payslip and claim your tax refund in Austria, with 2026 tax brackets, social insurance rates and fees.
Money and taxes in Austria in numbers
The key figures for your first year in Austria. Updated November 2026.
How to open a bank account in Austria
You need an account for your salary, rent and contracts. Most banks open one in a single appointment. Some online banks open one in the app within minutes.
- Register your address first: get your Meldezettel (registration form) at the registration office within 3 days of moving in. Most banks ask for it. See our guide to registering your address.
- Bring a valid photo ID: a passport or national ID card. Non-EU citizens also bring their residence permit or visa. See residence permits.
- Bring proof of income or status: an employment contract, payslip or student confirmation. Banks ask for it for some account types.
- Tell the bank where you pay tax: banks must ask for your tax residence and, if you have one, a foreign tax number.
- Choose your account and card: a Girokonto (current account) with a debit card is standard. Ask about the monthly fee and card fees before you sign.
- Set up online banking: you get access to the app and your IBAN right away or within a few days. Your debit card arrives by post.
Your right to a basic account
The Verbraucherzahlungskontogesetz (VZKG, Consumer Payment Accounts Act) gives every consumer who lives legally in the EU the right to a Basiskonto (basic payment account). This covers EU citizens, non-EU citizens with a residence right, students, asylum seekers and people without a fixed address.
The bank cannot refuse you because of your nationality or your income. It can refuse if you already have a payment account in Austria. It must give you written reasons for a refusal.
What it includes and what it costs
- Deposits, cash withdrawals at counters and ATMs
- Transfers, standing orders and direct debits
- A debit card for shops and online payments
- No overdraft and no credit card
- Fee in 2026: max. €83.45 per year (the €80 limit in the law, adjusted for inflation)
- Max. €41.73 per year if you get minimum income support, a study grant or similar support
General information, not legal advice.
Main banks and online banks in Austria
Austria has a few large banking groups with branches in every federal state. Online banks from other EU countries are popular with newcomers because you can open an account before you arrive. Fees change often, so compare the current price lists yourself.
Erste Bank & Sparkassen
Erste Bank in Vienna and the regional Sparkassen elsewhere. Online banking and the app are called George. Large branch and ATM network.
Bank Austria
Part of the Italian UniCredit group. Many branches in Vienna, staff in larger branches often speak English.
Raiffeisen
A group of regional cooperative banks. Strong in rural areas and small towns. Each federal state has its own Raiffeisen banks.
BAWAG
A large Austrian bank with branches across the country and full online banking.
N26
A German bank with a full EU banking licence. App only, no branches. You open the account with a video ID check.
bunq & Revolut
bunq is a Dutch bank. Revolut runs its EU bank from Lithuania. Both are app only and open accounts online.
Branch bank: good to know
- Personal advice and help with paperwork in German
- Monthly account fees are common
- Easy to get a loan or mortgage later
- Some landlords and employers know these banks best
Online bank: good to know
- Open the account before you move
- App and support in English
- The IBAN may start with DE, NL or LT, which is legal in the EU
- Cash deposits can be hard or cost extra
Deposits at EU banks are protected up to €100,000 per person and bank by the deposit guarantee scheme of the bank’s home country.
Paying and sending money in Austria
Austrians still use more cash than people in many other EU countries. Debit cards work almost everywhere in Vienna, but carry some cash for small shops, markets and Heurigen (wine taverns).
Cards and cash
- The debit card is still often called Bankomatkarte. Bankomat means ATM.
- Contactless payment by card or phone is standard in supermarkets, public transport and most restaurants.
- Credit cards are less common. Some smaller shops accept debit cards only.
- Use the ATMs of banks. Some independent ATM operators charge a fee per withdrawal.
- Outside Vienna, small guesthouses, mountain huts and village shops often take cash only.
Your foreign IBAN is valid
Under the EU SEPA Regulation (EU 260/2012, Article 9), an employer, landlord, utility or authority in Austria must accept any euro account in the SEPA area. Refusing an account because the IBAN starts with DE, NL or LT is called IBAN discrimination and is illegal.
If it happens to you, ask for the refusal in writing and contact the European Consumer Centre Austria (Europäisches Verbraucherzentrum).
Sending money abroad
| Transfer | What you need to know |
|---|---|
| Euro, inside SEPA | A transfer in euro to any SEPA country costs the same as a domestic transfer. |
| Instant transfer | Since 9 October 2025, banks in the euro area must offer instant euro transfers. They cannot cost more than a normal transfer. |
| Name check | Since 9 October 2025, your bank checks if the name matches the IBAN before you send (Empfängerüberprüfung, verification of payee). |
| Other currencies | Banks charge a fee and add a margin to the exchange rate. Compare the total cost with online money transfer services before you send. |
Planning your monthly budget? See our cost of living guide.
Income tax brackets in Austria 2026
Austria taxes your income in steps. Each rate applies only to the part of your income inside that bracket. The thresholds rose by about 1.7 % for 2026.
| Taxable income per year | Rate |
|---|---|
| up to €13,539 | 0 % |
| €13,539 to €21,992 | 20 % |
| €21,992 to €36,458 | 30 % |
| €36,458 to €70,365 | 40 % |
| €70,365 to €104,859 | 48 % |
| €104,859 to €1 million | 50 % |
| above €1 million | 55 % |
How it works for employees
- Your employer deducts Lohnsteuer (wage tax) every month and pays it to the tax office.
- Taxable income is your gross pay minus social insurance and some allowances.
- You do not file a tax return unless you have other income or want a refund.
- Austria taxes individuals, not couples. There is no joint filing.
- Tax is the same in every federal state. There is no state or city income tax.
General information, not tax advice.
Social insurance and the 13th and 14th salary
Two things surprise newcomers on their first Austrian payslip: the social insurance deductions and the extra salaries in summer and winter.
Employee social insurance 2026
| Part | Employee share |
|---|---|
| Health insurance | 3.87 % |
| Pension insurance | 10.25 % |
| Unemployment insurance | 0–2.95 % |
| Chamber of Labour (AK) and housing fund | 1 % (1.25 % in Vienna) |
| Total | 18.07 % (18.32 % in Vienna) |
- Vienna raised its housing levy (Wohnbauförderungsbeitrag) on 1 January 2026, so your share is 0.25 points higher there.
- Unemployment insurance is 0 % up to €2,225 gross per month and rises in steps to 2.95 % above €2,630.
- Contributions stop at €6,930 gross per month (Höchstbeitragsgrundlage, maximum contribution base).
13th and 14th salary
Most employees get 14 salaries a year. The Urlaubsgeld (holiday pay) usually comes in June and the Weihnachtsgeld (Christmas pay) in November. Collective agreements set this, not the law.
- The first €620 per year is tax-free.
- The next part is taxed at only 6 %, up to one sixth of your regular yearly pay (Jahressechstel).
- Higher bonus amounts are taxed at 27 % and 35.75 %, and above €83,333 at the normal rate.
- If your Jahressechstel is €2,615 or less, no tax is due on it in 2026.
- Social insurance applies to the extra salaries too, up to €13,860 per year.
General information, not tax advice. Figures for employees with full social insurance.
Arbeitnehmerveranlagung: get money back from the tax office
The Arbeitnehmerveranlagung (employee tax assessment) recalculates your tax for the full year. If you moved to Austria mid-year, changed jobs or had costs for work, you often get money back.
- Get ID Austria: since 1 October 2025 you generally need ID Austria (the digital ID) to log in to FinanzOnline, the online tax office. You can activate it at many registration offices and tax offices.
- Log in to FinanzOnline: on the first login you link your account with your social insurance number or tax number.
- Wait for all payslips: employers send the Lohnzettel (annual pay statement) to the tax office early in the year. AK Vienna advises waiting until March if one is missing.
- Fill in form L1 online: add costs like training, work equipment, commuting, donations and church tax. Add form L1k for children. You do not upload receipts, but keep them for 7 years.
- Check the estimate and submit: FinanzOnline shows an estimated refund. The decision (Bescheid) arrives in your FinanzOnline inbox and the money goes to your account.
5 years to file
You can file up to five years back. For 2025 you have until 31 December 2030.
Automatic refund
If you only had salary income and did not file by the end of June, the tax office may refund you automatically in the second half of the year. Filing yourself lets you claim more.
Tax number
The Steuernummer (tax number) has 9 digits. The tax office assigns it when it opens a tax account for you. You find it in FinanzOnline and on every tax decision. Self-employed people apply with form Verf 24.
Familienbonus Plus
A tax credit of €2,000.16 per year per child under 18 (€166.68 per month). From 18 it is €700.08 per year if you get family allowance. Claim it via your employer or form L1k. No bonus for children living outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.
General information, not tax advice. Moving with children? See our schools and kids guide.
The ORF fee in 2026
Every household with a main residence in Austria pays the ORF-Beitrag (public broadcasting fee). It does not matter if you own a TV or radio.
How much and how to pay
- €15.30 per month per main residence in 2026.
- A secondary residence (Nebenwohnsitz) pays nothing.
- The ORF-Beitrags Service (OBS) gets your data from the central register after you register your address.
- Pay by direct debit in 2 or 6 instalments, or once a year by payment slip.
- Low-income households that get certain social benefits can apply for an exemption at the OBS.
Federal states differ
Vienna charges no extra state levy. You pay €15.30 per month.
Burgenland, Styria and Tyrol add their own state levy on top. Styria plans to drop its levy from 2027. Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Salzburg and Vorarlberg charge no levy. Carinthia has changed its rules, so check your bill from the OBS.
Useful German words for banking and taxes
You will see these words on forms, payslips and letters from the tax office.
| German | English | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| Girokonto | Current account | Opening your everyday bank account |
| Basiskonto | Basic payment account | If a bank refuses you a normal account |
| Bankomatkarte | Debit card | Paying in shops, using ATMs |
| Überweisung | Bank transfer | Paying rent and bills |
| Dauerauftrag | Standing order | Monthly rent payments |
| Einzugsermächtigung | Direct debit mandate | Electricity, phone, ORF fee |
| Lohnzettel / Gehaltszettel | Annual pay statement / payslip | Tax refund, checking your salary |
| Brutto / Netto | Gross / net | Job offers and payslips |
| Lohnsteuer | Wage tax | Reading your payslip |
| Arbeitnehmerveranlagung | Employee tax assessment | Getting a tax refund |
| Steuernummer | Tax number | FinanzOnline, self-employment |
| Bescheid | Official decision | Result of your tax refund |
Common questions about banking and taxes in Austria
Can I open a bank account in Austria without a Meldezettel?
Most Austrian banks ask for your Meldezettel, so register your address first. Online banks like N26, bunq or Revolut often open an account with only your passport and a video check. You also have a legal right to a basic account if you live legally in the EU.
What is a Basiskonto and how much does it cost in Austria?
A Basiskonto is a basic payment account that every bank must offer to consumers who live legally in the EU. It includes transfers, direct debits and a debit card. In 2026 it costs at most 83.45 euros per year, or 41.73 euros for people on low incomes.
Can my employer in Austria refuse my German or Lithuanian IBAN?
No. Under the EU SEPA Regulation, employers, landlords and authorities must accept any euro account in the SEPA area. Refusing a foreign IBAN is illegal. Contact the European Consumer Centre Austria if it happens.
How much income tax do I pay in Austria in 2026?
The first 13,539 euros of taxable income per year are tax-free. Then rates rise in steps from 20 % to 50 % above 104,859 euros, and 55 % above 1 million euros. Each rate applies only to the income inside its bracket.
How much social insurance is deducted from my salary in Austria?
In 2026 the employee share is 18.07 % of gross pay, or 18.32 % in Vienna. Lower incomes pay less unemployment insurance. Contributions stop at 6,930 euros gross per month.
How are the 13th and 14th salary taxed in Austria?
The first 620 euros per year are tax-free. The next part is taxed at 6 %, up to one sixth of your regular yearly pay. Higher amounts are taxed at higher rates.
How do I get a tax refund in Austria?
File the Arbeitnehmerveranlagung online in FinanzOnline with form L1. You need ID Austria to log in. You can file up to five years back. If you only had salary income, the tax office may refund you automatically.
Do I have to pay the ORF fee in Vienna?
Yes, if you have your main residence in Vienna. In 2026 the ORF-Beitrag is 15.30 euros per month per household. Vienna adds no state levy. Some low-income households can apply for an exemption.
- USP: Income tax brackets 2026
- Konsumentenfragen (Ministry of Social Affairs): Basiskonto rights and fees
- Work in Austria: Opening a bank account
- ECC-Net: IBAN discrimination
- WKO: Instant transfers and verification of payee from October 2025
- Regionalsuche: Social insurance rates 2026 and Vienna housing levy
- KPMG: Social insurance values 2026
- WKO: Taxation of the 13th and 14th salary
- oesterreich.gv.at: Employee tax assessment
- BMF: Automatic tax assessment
- AK Vienna: Tax refund with FinanzOnline and ID Austria
- BMF: Family Bonus Plus
- oesterreich.gv.at: ORF-Beitrag
- News.at: ORF fee and state levies by federal state
Rules change. Check the official source before you apply.