City, broadcasting fee office, public order office · one month after notification

Got an official decision? Calculate the objection deadline

An authority decides something binding for you: a fee, a contribution, a permit or a requirement.

How to recognise the letter

The sender is an authority: city, district, public order office …
It decides something binding for you (fee, contribution, permit, requirement).
At the end, the instructions on legal remedies: objection or court action.

Which deadline applies?

Objection or court action – as the letter's instructions say: one month after notification (§ 70 Abs. 1 VwGO bzw. § 74 Abs. 1 S. 2 VwGO). If the end falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, the deadline ends on the next working day (§ 31 Abs. 3 VwVfG / § 57 Abs. 2 VwGO i. V. m. § 222 Abs. 2 ZPO). The calculator on this page works out the exact day – step by step.

Without or with incorrect instructions on legal remedies: one year (§ 58 Abs. 2 VwGO).

What happens if you do nothing?

Once the deadline has passed, the decision becomes final and can be enforced.

Your options

Check whether the facts are right
Object or go to court – as the instructions say
Pay or ask for instalments

Who can help?

Verbraucherzentrale; legal applications office of the administrative court

Terms in this letter

BescheidA binding decision by an authority about your case.RechtsbehelfsbelehrungThe paragraph at the end of a decision telling you how and by when you can challenge it.SäumniszuschlagA surcharge because a payment came late.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Bescheid?

A decision by an authority in an individual case that becomes binding on you if you do nothing. You recognise it by the instructions on legal remedies at the end.

What if the instructions on legal remedies are missing?

Then one year applies instead of one month (§ 58 Abs. 2 VwGO). Still, better rely on the shorter deadline.

How much time do I have?

One month after notification (§ 70 Abs. 1 VwGO bzw. § 74 Abs. 1 S. 2 VwGO). If the end falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, the deadline ends on the next working day (§ 31 Abs. 3 VwVfG / § 57 Abs. 2 VwGO i. V. m. § 222 Abs. 2 ZPO). The calculator above shows the exact day with every step.

Who can help me?

Verbraucherzentrale; legal applications office of the administrative court.

General information, not legal advice. Whether this decision is correct and what is right in your case is for an advice centre or a lawyer to say. Laws link to the official German text at gesetze-im-internet.de.