German Notice Period Calculator (Kundigungsfrist)
Determine your official statutory employment termination date (Kundigungstermin), notice period length, and labor court lawsuit deadline (Klagefrist) under § 622 BGB and the Protection Against Dismissal Act.
Notice Details & Service Record
Contractual Special Clauses
Legal Last Day of Employment
Notice duration: -- (--)
You must file an unfair dismissal claim (Kundigungsschutzklage) with the Labor Court before this date, or the dismissal becomes permanently irrevocable!
BGB § 622 Formal Validity Rules
- Written Form (§ 623 BGB): Must be signed by hand in ink on paper. Emails or scans are 100% void.
- Receipt Counts (Zugang): The notice period only begins when the letter physically enters the recipient's mailbox or hands.
Statutory Notice Periods by Seniority (§ 622 BGB)
| Tenure Duration (Dienstjahre) | Statutory Notice Period | Termination Target Date | BGB Legal Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| During Probation (Up to 6 Mos) | 2 Weeks | Any calendar day | § 622 Abs. 3 BGB |
| Under 2 Years Service | 4 Weeks | To the 15th or end of month | § 622 Abs. 1 BGB |
| 2 to 4 Years Service | 1 Month | End of calendar month | § 622 Abs. 2 Nr. 1 BGB |
| 5 to 7 Years Service | 2 Months | End of calendar month | § 622 Abs. 2 Nr. 2 BGB |
| 8 to 9 Years Service | 3 Months | End of calendar month | § 622 Abs. 2 Nr. 3 BGB |
| 10 to 11 Years Service | 4 Months | End of calendar month | § 622 Abs. 2 Nr. 4 BGB |
| 12 to 14 Years Service | 5 Months | End of calendar month | § 622 Abs. 2 Nr. 5 BGB |
| 15 to 19 Years Service | 6 Months | End of calendar month | § 622 Abs. 2 Nr. 6 BGB |
| 20+ Years Service | 7 Months | End of calendar month | § 622 Abs. 2 Nr. 7 BGB |
Understanding German Termination Deadlines
In German labor law, calculating a notice period requires identifying four critical parameters: who is giving notice, employee seniority, whether a contractual probation applies, and the formal receipt date.
1. Strict Written Form
Under § 623 BGB, electronic dismissals via email, PDF, or messenger are non-negotiably invalid. A valid termination must be signed physically with wet ink.
2. Receipt Counts (Zugang)
The statutory clock begins ticking only on the date the letter enters the recipient's sphere of control (e.g., dropped into the home mailbox before usual delivery hours).
3. 3-Week KSchG Deadline
A wrongful dismissal lawsuit must be submitted to the Labor Court within 21 calendar days under § 4 KSchG, even if the notice period itself is several months long!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the statutory notice period for an employee resigning in Germany?
Under Section 622(1) BGB, an employee may terminate employment with four weeks' notice either to the 15th or to the end of a calendar month, unless their contract explicitly extends this period to match the employer's notice obligations.
How does employment tenure affect the employer's notice period in Germany?
Under Section 622(2) BGB, the employer's notice period increases graduated by tenure: 1 month after 2 years; 2 months after 5 years; 3 months after 8 years; 4 months after 10 years; 5 months after 12 years; 6 months after 15 years; and 7 months after 20 years of service. All statutory employer notice periods must end on the last day of a calendar month.
What is the notice period during a probationary period (Probezeit)?
Under Section 622(3) BGB, during an agreed probation period of up to six months, either party can terminate the employment with two weeks' notice to any day of the week, with no requirement to align to the 15th or end of the month.
What is the 3-week deadline under the Protection Against Dismissal Act (KSchG)?
Under Section 4 KSchG, if an employee wishes to challenge the legality of a dismissal (Kundigungsschutzklage) in the Labor Court (Arbeitsgericht), they must file the lawsuit within exactly 3 weeks of receiving the written notice. Once this deadline passes, the termination is deemed legally valid.
Can an employment termination be issued via email or WhatsApp in Germany?
No. Under Section 623 BGB, an employment termination notice requires strict written form (Schriftformerfordernis) signed by hand with ink on physical paper. Terminations delivered via email, text message, scan, or WhatsApp are legally null and void (nichtig).
Engr. Muhammad Shahzad
Verified Compliance AuthorPrincipal Civil & Systems Software Engineer specializing in European labor law algorithms, German BGB contractual notice computation models, and KSchG dismissal dispute timeframes.
📊 BMF Lohnsteuer, Sozialversicherungsbeiträge und Solidaritätszuschlag Matrix
| Statutory Component / Legal Deduction Item | Calculated Amount (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Primary Net / Statutory Payable Amount | 0,00 € |
Engr. Muhammad Shahzad
Principal Financial Systems Architect & German BMF Fiscal Architecture & Social Insurance Specialist
Lead software and systems architect specializing in high-performance browser computing, algorithmic validation, financial models, and zero-telemetry client-side privacy architecture.