Info

I receive many inquiries as to why a player with German or EU nationality needs a transfer card.

The nationality only indicates which playing eligibility the player receives: with a green cross or without a cross in the player pass.

A transfer card is nothing more than an international release. This is always required if a player was born abroad - regardless of whether a player played abroad or not. Of course, we also need approval from another association if he started playing ice hockey there, even if he was born in Germany. This is what the IIHF Transfer Regulations, which are crucial for us as an association, say.

We work with the transfer form. It must be filled out and signed by the player and the club. In addition, the term of the transfer must be requested. They are possible: limited or unlimited.

Of course, you also have the option of applying for approval for several seasons. In addition . but an employment contract for the requested term exists and must also be presented.

Important: In addition to the transfer form, please be sure to submit the employment contract with the requested term or  simply a written agreement (in English) with confirmation of the term, signature of the player and club.

Applications & forms for player transfers

Helpful:

A transfer over a season can also be requested Option here’s to another season. This means they request the transfer for 24/25 and mark the option for 25/26. However, a copy of the employment contract is required or a written confirmation of the term in English must be submitted. This will be stored in the transfer online system and can be drawn if necessary in the 25/26 season if the player plans to stay here. There would then be no additional costs for a transfer.

Players' salaries can definitely be blacked out in the employment contracts submitted, but of course they are not relevant!

If you would like to exercise a requested option at the start of the season, this can only be done by confirming this in English on your club's letterhead, signed by the player and the club. Submitting by email directly to me is completely sufficient!

It is not possible to subsequently change the duration of a transfer.

Please always submit a copy of the player's ID; this will be scanned in the online system.

Since all documents (transfer form, possibly employment contract or agreement on the term in English, copy of ID) have to be uploaded individually in the new system, the documents should please scanned individually arrive at me.

• signed transfer form
• ID copy

• signed transfer form
• ID copy
• Copy of the employment contract with the term or agreement on the term

• signed transfer form
• ID copy
• Completely completed and signed UTCR (unlimited transfer form), The club should sign with the date and stamp on the bottom line.

Please only request an unlimited transfer, if the player's center of life is here in Germany. Background:

In the case of an unlimited transfer, the player's transfer rights are transferred to Germany. If he moves back to his home country, a full transfer back is required with all costs incurred. An unlimited transfer should always be a player's wish!

If I have the necessary documents for a transfer, I enter the player's data in the IIHF's online system and the transferring association will then receive my release request through the system.

But please note: The releasing association has 7 days to respond to the release request. Please take this into account when making your player commitments. If the player has left the club despite a valid contract, withholding equipment or debts, the releasing association can initiate a refusal to release the player, after which these "disputes" should be resolved within 7 days. The IIHF also recommends that the return of the equipment be specified in the contract and that a written confirmation be issued upon return.

There are players who come to Germany from abroad and then decide they want to play a bit of ice hockey here. These players have been living here in Germany for more than 18 months and  have never been with us or have not been with us for at least 15 years or played ice hockey in another association, you can register with us free of charge via the IIHF. This regulation has only existed since the 18/19 season.

IMPORTANT: Documents that must be submitted for this:

• completed transfer form
• UTCR (Unlimited Transfer Form)
• ID copy
• current, extended registration certificate or certificate of residence showing that the player has been registered here in Germany for 18 months. The IIHF will not accept registration in these cases as this does not constitute proof of residency.

Please note that only players who submit an initial application can request this special transfer.

Each new transfer costs 320 euros (IIHF fee).

In addition to the IIHF transfer costs, a transfer fee of 320 euros must be paid to the transferring national association, as well as the fees for issuing the passport, registration for the respective league and the transfer fees of 200 euros plus VAT.

The additional fees for the respective league can be found at Fee schedule .

IMPORTANT: We reserve the right to adjust costs due to exchange rate fluctuations in the Swiss franc.

Fees for player transfers:

• 320 euro transfer card
• 10 euros passport issuance
• 80 euros registration for players subject to tk
• 200 euros transfer fees
• everything plus VAT

The 320 Euro transfer fee to the respective transferring national association does not apply to female players due to a current internal regulation among the associations.

After submitting the transfer form, your club will promptly receive an invoice for the transfer and the transfer fees via email.

Of course, the player is only entitled to play for you once a valid playing authorization has been created by your passport office.

Players requiring a transfer card can be used in friendly matches upon submission of a try out. Send me the try out requests with the name, date of birth and place of birth of the respective players and I will query them from the issuing association. This will then check whether the players still have valid employment contracts or whether a try out can be granted. According to IIHF regulations, the try out period is limited to 15 days, valid from the first use in a FS game, but can be extended again.

This regulation is particularly important for players who may have existing contracts with the AHL or NHL. There are high fines that would have to be paid if non-compliance occurs.

I will send the confirmed 15 day trial back to you directly via email.

From the time of use in the championship game, a fully approved transfer must have been carried out and eligibility to play must be present.

Letter of approval “LOA” for players up to 18 years old

Even if a child under the age of 18 has not learned to play ice hockey in another country, he or she generally requires a Letter of Approval, hereinafter referred to as “LOA”, if he or she was born abroad. Please note that this form is always signed by the player and a legal guardian at the DEB-Passport office must be presented.

The same rules apply here as for the transfer of senior players: You can apply for limited releases (under 18, even over several seasons) or an unlimited transfer if the player now has his or her center of life here in Germany. The UTCR form is also required. Players who are already 18 years old require a transfer using the transfer form with all costs incurred.

Also or especially the playing permissions for children, who currently have to be released annually by their association, must also be applied for using this form.

Children who are under 10 years old when applying for a passport and are still abroad not have played, are WITHOUT Quota eligible to play (no green cross in player pass). However, these players receive the restriction “temporarily without a quota, not in seniors” in the player pass. This regulation also applies to children who have their permission to play before submitting their first application permanent Stay in DEB-Association area had.

Prerequisite for this: an extended, current registration certificate must be submitted in order to provide proof of residence in Germany.

This exception can only be taken into account or granted upon initial issuance.

IMPORTANT:

Please note that as soon as these players move to the senior level and do not have German citizenship or that of an EU country, they will have a green cross entered in their player passport and thus occupy a foreign position!

Players requiring transfer cards who turn 18 years old during a current season can still apply for approval with the “Letter of Approval”. A transfer card will only be required in the following season. Players who are not yet 18 years old before applying for international clearance can still apply for an LOA for the entire season.

With this permit you can also take part in senior games.

There are no additional transfer costs for applications from players under 18 years of age.

• Legibly completed and signed LOA (preferably via fillable PDF on the DEB-homepage)
• ID copy

• Legibly completed and signed LOA
• ID copy
• Completely completed and signed UTCR (also by a parent), the bottom line should be signed by the club with the date and stamp

Transfers must definitely be carried out for players from Ukraine.

Transfers for players under 18 are free anyway, and we have not yet received any information from the IIHF for players from Ukraine over 18 for the 24/25 season. The Council must first meet and make decisions on this. We will announce these as soon as we are informed.

All forms and applications in the download portal print and edit.