- Price
- €7.95incl. VAT, 2 pages included
- Delivery time
- Next business dayusually, after handover to the post
- Proof
- Delivery recordinto the letterbox, + tracking
- Handed to the post
- Upload by 12:00Central European Time on a business day, posted the same day
- Counts as
- Domestic registered mailprinted and posted in Germany
Do you need registered mail to cancel German contracts?
Mostly no. Phone, internet, gym, streaming, insurance and energy contracts can be cancelled in text form: an email, a letter, the provider's portal or, for contracts made online, the cancellation button on its website. Contract terms may not ask for more.
Two contracts are different: ending a residential lease and ending a job both need an original on paper with your handwritten signature. A printed letter cannot meet that form, so post the signed original yourself or hand it over before you leave.
Why send it as registered mail anyway?
Because receipt is what counts, and you may not be in Germany when a provider says it never got your letter. Einschreiben Einwurf records posting and the drop into the letterbox, with a Deutsche Post tracking number you can check from anywhere.
It is good evidence, not perfect evidence: courts have held that the tracking status alone does not prove receipt. If there is a dispute, ask Deutsche Post for the delivery record (Auslieferungsbeleg).
Which contracts need which form?
| Contract | Form | Usual notice |
|---|---|---|
| Residential lease (tenant) | Hand-signed original | Three months; it must arrive by the third working day of a month for that month to count |
| Employment | Hand-signed original | Four weeks to the 15th or the end of a month, unless agreed otherwise |
| Phone or internet after the minimum term | Text form | One month |
| Phone or internet when the service is not offered at your new home | Text form | One month, from the move or later |
| Gym or subscription after the first term | Text form | At most one month |
| Insurance | Text form | Usually one month to the end of the insurance year |
Notice periods run from receipt, so count back from the day the letter arrives.
How do you cancel from abroad?
- List your contractsPhone, internet, energy, insurance, subscriptions, broadcasting fee.
- One PDF per cancellationWith your new address abroad.
- Upload from anywhereWe print in Germany and post the letter.
- Collect confirmationsKeep the tracking numbers until every provider confirms.
Sample cancellation letter in German
In German, the language your providers read. Keep the bracketed sentence only for a phone or internet contract.
Kündigung wegen Umzugs ins Ausland
Kundennummer: [Nummer]
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
ich ziehe am [Datum] nach [Land] und kündige hiermit meinen Vertrag mit der oben genannten Kundennummer zum [Datum], hilfsweise zum nächstmöglichen Termin.
[Bei Handy oder Internet: Ihr Dienst wird an meinem neuen Wohnsitz nicht angeboten. Ich kündige daher mit einer Frist von einem Monat.]
Bitte überweisen Sie ein Guthaben auf dieses Konto: [IBAN]. Ihre Bestätigung senden Sie bitte an [E-Mail-Adresse].
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
[Vorname Nachname]
Neue Anschrift: [Anschrift im Ausland]
Frequently asked questions
Can I cancel German contracts after I have moved abroad?
Yes. Most contracts accept text form, so an email or a letter is enough. A letter printed and posted in Germany arrives as a domestic Einschreiben.
Does my German lease notice need registered mail?
No, but it needs an original with the handwritten signature of every tenant. A printed or scanned signature is not valid, so post or hand over the signed original yourself.
Can I end my phone contract early when I move abroad?
If the provider does not offer the service at your new address, you can cancel with one month's notice.
How do I get my rental deposit back from abroad?
Ask for it in writing with a deadline and your bank details. The form is free, and registered mail helps prove the demand arrived.
Do I need a printer?
No. A PDF from your phone or laptop is enough.
Does registered mail prove the contents?
No registered letter proves the contents. Your proof PDF does contain the printed letter, so you can show what you sent.