German deadlines (Frist): how they work
If you learn one thing about German official mail, learn this: many letters contain a Frist — a hard deadline — and missing it can cost you real money or rights. Here is how to find it and how it works.
Look for the Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung at the end of the letter. It tells you the deadline and which remedy applies. For most decisions it’s one month; for fines and court payment orders it’s usually two weeks.
Where to find the deadline
German authorities rarely put the deadline in a big red box. It lives in the Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung (“instructions on legal remedies”), almost always the last paragraph. It names three things: the remedy (Widerspruch for most decisions, Einspruch for tax and fines), the time limit, and the authority you must send it to.
When does the clock start?
Not when you open the envelope. A letter sent by ordinary post counts as delivered a few days after it was posted — the Bekanntgabefiktion. Since 2025 this is four days after posting. The deadline runs from that date. If the last day falls on a weekend or public holiday, it moves to the next working day.
Letter posted on Thursday, 1 October 2026 → deemed delivered four days later on Monday, 5 October → the one-month period ends on Thursday, 5 November 2026. Your objection must reach the authority by that day. Want it calculated? Use our free deadline calculator (in German, just enter the date on the letter).
The usual periods
- One month — most administrative decisions: tax assessment (Einspruch), Jobcenter/benefits, health insurer, broadcasting fee (Widerspruch).
- Two weeks — fine notice (Bußgeldbescheid, Einspruch) and court payment order (Mahnbescheid, Widerspruch).
- Payment due dates — invoices and reminders state their own date; these are contractual, not the legal-remedy period.
If you already missed it
The decision usually becomes bestandskräftig (final and binding). If you missed the deadline through no fault of your own — illness, a delivery error — you may apply for Wiedereinsetzung in den vorigen Stand (reinstatement). Act fast and, for anything serious, get advice.
Frequently asked
Where exactly is the deadline written?
Does the deadline start when I open the letter?
Is the objection free?
Never miss a Frist again
Upload a photo or PDF – Mein Büro finds the sender, the amount and the deadline, counts down the days and suggests what to do next. It can also draft your reply in German, ready to send to the authority.
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