Letter types

Short guides to common German official letters. On each page you can read the basics, then use Briefed to decode your own document in plain English.

Driving & traffic

• Bußgeldbescheid Official traffic fine — Einspruch deadline, Punkte, Fahrverbot, and when to contest.
• Anhörungsbogen Fine hearing questionnaire before a Bußgeldbescheid — voluntary reply, address confirmation, and deadlines.

Legal & disputes

• Abmahnung Formal legal warning — Unterlassungserklärung, fees, deadlines, and how to respond.
• Mahnbescheid Court payment order in the yellow envelope — 14-day deadline, Widerspruch, and Vollstreckungsbescheid.
• Inkasso-Brief Debt collection agency letter — not a court document, fees, Verjährung, register check, and Schufa rules.
• Mahnung Payment reminder before court — fees, deadlines, and how to respond.
• Zwangsvollstreckung Court debt enforcement overview — from Mahnbescheid to bailiff, garnishment, and insolvency exit.
• Vollstreckungsbescheid Enforcement order after an uncontested Mahnbescheid — bailiff risk and limited remedies.
• Gerichtsvollzieher Bailiff notice — Pfändung, appointments, and stopping escalation.
• Eidesstattliche Versicherung Sworn asset declaration — what to disclose, deadlines, and public register risk.
• Schuldnerverzeichnis Public debtor register entry — duration, Schufa impact, deletion, and insolvency exit.
• Verbraucherinsolvenz Consumer bankruptcy — out-of-court plan, court proceedings, and Restschuldbefreiung.
• Insolvenzeröffnungsbeschluss Court order opening insolvency — Insolvenzverwalter, creditor claims, and what changes for you.
• Restschuldbefreiung Debt discharge order after insolvency — what the Bescheid means and what debts remain.
• Pfändungsbeschluss Wage or account garnishment — protected amounts and P-Konto.
• Pfändungsschutzkonto (P-Konto) Protected bank account — monthly exempt amount and how to set it up.

Tax & finance

• Finanzamt Nachzahlung Tax back-payment demand from the German tax office — amounts, deadlines, and what to do next.
• Steuerbescheid Annual tax assessment — Nachzahlung, Erstattung, Fälligkeit, and Einspruch.
• Grundsteuerbescheid Property tax valuation after the 2025 reform — Grundsteuerwert, Einspruch, and Gemeinde bill.
• Zoll Einfuhrabgaben Customs import charges on parcels — EUSt, duty, courier fees, DDP disputes, and Einspruch.
• SCHUFA-Eintrag Credit report entries — retention, disputes, and data copies.

Utilities & energy

• Stromanbieterwechsel Electricity provider letters — switch confirmations, tariff changes, rejected switches, Lieferbeginn, and Grundversorgung.
• Gasanbieterwechsel Gas supplier letters — price hikes, Sonderkündigung, and final bills.
• KFZ-Versicherung Car insurance — premium changes, SF-Klasse, and claims correspondence.

Broadcasting & household fees

• Rundfunkbeitrag Beitragsbescheid Initial household fee registration — Beitragsnummer, €18.36/month, quarterly billing, and exemptions.
• Rundfunkbeitrag Mahnung GEZ / Beitragsservice reminder — €18.36 household fee, Säumniszuschlag, exemptions, and enforcement risk.

Health & insurance

• Krankenkasse Beitragsanpassung Contribution rate change from your statutory insurer — Zusatzbeitrag, deadlines, and your special right to switch.
• Krankenkasse Beitragsschulden Unpaid health insurance contributions — Nachzahlung, Mahnung, membership risk, and how to dispute.
• Pflegegrad-Bescheid Care grade decision after MDK assessment — Pflegegrad 1–5, Pflegegeld, Widerspruch, and reassessment.

Rent & housing

• Mieterhöhung Formal rent increase — Mietspiegel, Kappungsgrenze, Zustimmungsfrist, modernization rules, and when the letter is invalid.
• Nebenkostenabrechnung Annual utility and operating-cost settlement from your landlord — deadlines, allowable charges, and how to dispute.
• Mietkaution Security deposit return — deadlines, lawful deductions, Nebenkosten holdbacks, and disputes.
• Wohnungskündigung Ordinary rental termination — tenant or landlord notice period, Schriftform, and tenant Widerspruch.
• Fristlose Kündigung Immediate termination with no notice — serious breach in rental or employment, strict legal tests.
• Eigenbedarfskündigung Landlord personal-use termination — notice period and tenant protections.
• Räumungsaufforderung Demand to vacate — deadline, illegal lockouts, and court enforcement.
• Wohngeld-Bescheid Housing benefit decision — approval, back-payments, and Widerspruch.

Immigration & residence

• Aufenthaltstitel Residence permit decision — extension, Fiktionsbescheinigung, work conditions, and Widerspruch.
• Fiktionsbescheinigung Bridge residence document while your permit application is pending — work, travel, and extension.

Work & benefits

• Abmahnung vom Arbeitgeber Workplace written warning — misconduct documentation, signing, Gegendarstellung, and path to dismissal.
• Kündigung vom Arbeitgeber Employer termination — notice period and Kündigungsschutz deadlines.
• Kündigungsschutzklage Unfair dismissal claim at the Arbeitsgericht — three-week deadline and KSchG scope.
• Aufhebungsvertrag Mutual termination agreement — Sperrzeit risk and negotiation tips.
• Arbeitsbescheinigung Employer wage certificate and Meldebestätigung — documents for your ALG I application.
• Arbeitslosengeld-Bescheid Unemployment benefit decision from the Agentur für Arbeit.
• Bürgergeld-Bescheid Citizen's benefit notice — amounts, duties, and Sanktionen.
• Sanktionsbescheid Jobcenter benefit cut — 10–30% Regelbedarf reduction and how to appeal.
• Mitwirkungsaufforderung Jobcenter cooperation demand — submit documents or face Sanktion.
• Krankengeld-Bescheid Sick pay from your Krankenkasse after employer sick pay ends.
• Elterngeld-Bescheid Parental allowance — Basiselterngeld, Plus, and Nachforderung.
• Kindergeld-Bescheid Child benefit decision — monthly amount per child, Nachforderung, and Widerspruch.
• Kinderzuschlag-Bescheid Low-income child supplement — separate from Kindergeld, income limits, and Widerspruch.
• Unterhaltsvorschuss-Bescheid Advance child maintenance for single parents — when the other parent does not pay Unterhalt.
• BAföG-Bescheid Student aid decision — Zuschuss, Darlehen, and appeals.
• Renteninformation Annual pension forecast — not a bill, but important for planning.