Germany notice period calculator
Special cases
| Service when notice is received | 5 years, 7 months |
|---|---|
| Period expires on | 2 December 2026 |
| Latest receipt for this end date | 17 November 2026 |
- Notice must be in writing on paper with a signature; email, WhatsApp or a scan are not enough (Section 623 BGB). The result is the earliest possible end; contracts and pay agreements can set longer periods.
Statutory notice periods under Section 622 BGB
| Length of service | Period when the employer gives notice |
|---|---|
| Probation (at most 6 months) | 2 weeks, both sides |
| under 2 years | 4 weeks to the 15th or month end |
| 2 years or more | 1 month to month end |
| 5 years or more | 2 months to month end |
| 8 years or more | 3 months to month end |
| 10 years or more | 4 months to month end |
| 12 years or more | 5 months to month end |
| 15 years or more | 6 months to month end |
| 20 years or more | 7 months to month end |
The longer periods only apply when the employer gives notice. Employees still resign with 4 weeks to the 15th or month end unless the contract extends the longer periods to both sides. An employee’s period may never be longer than the employer’s. Every year with the employer counts, including an apprenticeship and time before age 25; the old age rule was removed from the statute in 2019.
How the period is counted
The period starts the day after the notice is received. A period in weeks ends on the same weekday, a period in months on the day with the same number; if that day does not exist, such as 31 November, on the last day of the month. Then the next permitted end date applies. If the end falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, it stays: the rule that moves deadlines to the next working day does not apply to notice periods.
| Desired end | Notice must arrive by |
|---|---|
| Tue, 15 Dec 2026 | Tue, 17 Nov 2026 |
| Thu, 31 Dec 2026 | Thu, 3 Dec 2026 |
| Fri, 15 Jan 2027 | Fri, 18 Dec 2026 |
| Sun, 31 Jan 2027 | Sun, 3 Jan 2027 |
| Mon, 15 Feb 2027 | Mon, 18 Jan 2027 |
| Sun, 28 Feb 2027 | Sun, 31 Jan 2027 |
If the latest delivery day is a Sunday, the notice must in practice arrive earlier, for example by messenger or handed over in person on the Saturday.
Delivery and written form
Notice only takes effect once received. A letter in the mailbox counts as received once it can be taken out after the usual delivery times, even if the recipient is on holiday or ill. A registered letter dropped in the mailbox (Einwurf-Einschreiben) only proves delivery with the delivery record. Safest is handing it over in person in front of a witness, or a messenger who records content and time. Notice must be on paper with a handwritten signature; email, fax or a scanned letter are not enough.
Public sector: TVöD and TV-L
Under the TVöD and TV-L the periods apply to both sides: 2 weeks to month end in the first 6 months, 1 month to month end up to one year, then 6 weeks, and after 5, 8, 10 and 12 years of service 3, 4, 5 and 6 months, always to the end of a calendar quarter. Staff aged 40 with more than 15 years of service cannot be given ordinary notice; for municipalities and the TV-L this only applies under the Tarifgebiet West rules, for federal staff to everyone.
Frequently asked questions
What if the notice names a date that is too early?
It usually takes effect on the next permitted date, as long as it is clear the employment is to end in any case. The calculator always shows that date.
Do the periods apply in small businesses?
Yes. In businesses with up to 20 employees the contract may set 4 weeks without a fixed end date, but the longer periods by length of service still apply.
Who cannot be dismissed?
During pregnancy, maternity protection and parental leave the employer may only give notice with approval from the authority. Severely disabled employees need consent from the Integrationsamt after 6 months of employment. Fixed-term contracts can only be ended early if that was agreed.
How much holiday is left when I leave?
The holiday entitlement calculator works it out, including the payout for untaken days.
Sources: Sections 130, 187, 188, 193, 622 and 623 BGB, Section 22 BBiG, Section 113 InsO, Sections 168, 169 and 173 SGB IX, Section 17 MuSchG, Sections 18 and 19 BEEG, Section 15 TzBfG, Section 34 TVöD and TV-L, BAG 2 AZR 714/08, 2 AZR 1057/12, 2 AZR 660/19, 2 AZR 213/23, 2 AZR 68/24, 2 AZR 275/23. Not legal advice. Updated 2026-11-04.