- 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
When must the objection reach the tax office?
The deadline is one month from notification. An assessment sent by post counts as notified on the fourth day after posting, even if it arrived earlier. If the deadline ends on a weekend or public holiday, it moves to the next business day.
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Posted (date on the assessment) | Monday 2 November 2026 |
| Counts as notified (fourth day) | Friday 6 November 2026 |
| Objection deadline | Monday 7 December 2026, because 6 December is a Sunday |
| Assessment sent to an address abroad | Counts as notified one month after posting |
| When it must arrive | At the tax office by the last day, not just posted |
ELSTER, fax or registered mail: which route?
All are valid: an objection can be lodged in writing, electronically through ELSTER, or in person for the record at the tax office. No handwritten signature is needed, as long as it is clear who is objecting.
Registered mail makes sense when you have no ELSTER account, live abroad, or want proof on paper that the tax office does not hold.
What if the assessment asks you to pay?
An objection does not stop the payment. If you want to pay the disputed amount only after the decision, ask in the same letter for a suspension of enforcement (Aussetzung der Vollziehung) and name the amount. The tax office decides on that separately.
How do you object by registered mail?
- Work out the deadlineFourth day after the date on the assessment, plus one month.
- Write the objectionGive your tax number, the assessment and its date; reasons can follow.
- Send it registeredTo the address of the tax office that issued the assessment.
- Keep the proofUntil you receive the decision or an amended assessment.
Sample objection letter in German
In German, the language of the tax office. Without reasons the objection still meets the deadline; send them when you have them.
Finanzamt [Name]
Steuernummer: [Nummer]
Einspruch gegen den [Einkommensteuerbescheid 2025] vom [Datum]
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
hiermit lege ich gegen den oben genannten Bescheid Einspruch ein.
Begründung: [zum Beispiel: Die Werbungskosten für ... wurden nicht berücksichtigt.] Belege füge ich bei.
[oder: Die Begründung reiche ich bis zum [Datum] nach.]
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
[Vorname Nachname]
[Anschrift]
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to object?
One month from notification. An assessment sent by post counts as notified on the fourth day after posting.
Does the objection have to go by registered mail?
No. Writing, ELSTER or a statement for the record at the tax office are all valid. Registered mail is proof of when your letter arrived.
Do I have to sign by hand?
No. It only has to be clear who is objecting. Your name and tax number are enough.
What has to be in it?
Which assessment you mean, how far you challenge it and why. The reasons can follow later.
I live abroad. When does my deadline start?
An assessment sent abroad counts as notified one month after posting, unless it arrives later. You then have one more month.
My deadline ends today. What now?
Lodge the objection today through ELSTER or by fax. A letter arrives the next business day at the earliest, and what counts is receipt by the tax office.