AmtsDeutschland
0%
Skip to main content
Authorities Most popular Guides
FAQ Contact
Find an official procedure

Giving notice of parental leave

With the employer · § 15 BEEG

With the employerWritten form

Parental leave (Elternzeit) is not an application made to an authority. It is an entitlement against the employer, and notice of it is given to the employer – neither the Familienkasse (Family Benefits Office) nor the Elterngeldstelle (parental allowance office) is competent. The employer must grant it; the employer does not decide whether you receive it.

Under § 15 BEEG of the Federal Parental Allowance and Parental Leave Act (Bundeselterngeld- und Elternzeitgesetz), parental leave covers up to three years per child, and up to 24 months of this may be deferred to the period “between the child’s third birthday and the completed eighth year of life” – useful, for example, for school enrolment.

Almost always, only half of the notice period rule is mentioned. The well-known figure is seven weeks; this applies to parental leave up to the child’s third birthday. For the deferred period between the third and eighth birthdays, however, the notice period is 13 weeks. Anyone who wants to use the deferred months for school enrolment and plans with seven weeks is six weeks too late.

During parental leave you may work part-time – “not more than 32 hours per week on average over the month”. This limit was raised from the previous 30 hours; older accounts still cite the old figure.

Last updated27 August 2026
Legal basis§ 15 BEEG · § 16 · § 18
VerificationChecked against gesetze-im-internet.de (consolidated version)
Written and reviewed byAndrés Sánchez Botta
Independent information site: We are not the Familienkasse, not an authority and not paid advice — we do not submit applications for you. All information comes from official sources and is explained here in plain terms; the competent body is always authoritative. Not legal advice. Parental leave is asserted against the employer. All information provided without guarantee. We are neither lawyers nor tax consultants: we document administrative procedures and check the information against the official source — this is information, not legal or tax advice.
DurationUp to 3 yearsPer child
Registration deadline7 or 13 weeksDepending on the period
Part-time work permittedUp to 32 hrs/weekMonthly average
DeferrableUp to 24 monthsUp to the 8th birthday
Required documents

What you need

Written notice

Parental leave must be requested from the employer in writing. An email does not satisfy the statutory written form requirement – use a signed letter and have receipt of it confirmed.

The binding time schedule

With the notice you must state the periods, within the next two years, for which you are taking parental leave. This declaration is binding – think it through carefully beforehand, because a later change generally requires the employer’s approval.

Birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde) or maternity record book (Mutterpass)

As proof for the employer. Before the birth, the expected delivery date from the Mutterpass is generally sufficient.

If you want part-time work: details of the extent

The desired weekly hours and their distribution. Up to 32 hours a week on average over the month are permitted. The entitlement to part-time work during parental leave is subject to its own requirements and deadlines.

Coordination with the other parent

Both parents can take parental leave at the same time. If you are additionally aiming for the Partnership Bonus (Partnerschaftsbonus) under Parental Allowance Plus (ElterngeldPlus), the periods and hours must match up – this should be worked out before giving notice.

Step by step

How to proceed

  1. 1

    Know that this is not a procedure with an authority

    Parental leave is an entitlement against the employer, not an application to the Familienkasse or the Elterngeldstelle. The employer cannot refuse it; the employer must grant it if the requirements are met and notice is given in good time.

  2. 2

    Determine the correct notice period — 7 or 13 weeks

    For parental leave up to the third birthday, a notice period of seven weeks applies. For the period between the third and eighth birthdays, it is 13 weeks. Hardly anyone knows this second notice period – and it affects precisely the cases where parents want to use deferred months for school enrolment.

  3. 3

    Fix the periods on a binding basis

    With the notice you state the periods, within the coming two years, for which you are taking parental leave. This is binding. A later change is generally only possible with the employer’s approval – so plan it carefully once rather than hastily twice.

  4. 4

    Consider deferral to the period up to the eighth birthday

    Up to 24 months may be deferred to the period between the third and eighth birthdays. Many parents deliberately keep months back for school enrolment. In that case, remember the longer 13-week notice period.

  5. 5

    Give notice in writing and have it acknowledged

    The notice requires written form; an email is not sufficient for this. Have receipt of it confirmed in writing – in the event of a dispute, what matters is the receipt and its timing, because the notice period and the protection against dismissal depend on it.

  6. 6

    Keep an eye on protection against dismissal and part-time work

    The notice triggers the start of the special protection against dismissal under § 18 BEEG. If you want to work part-time, separate requirements and deadlines apply to this – together with the upper limit of 32 hours a week on average over the month.

Fee information

Costs and payment

Deadlines and limitsThe second notice period hardly anyone knows
CostsNone, legal entitlement
DurationUp to 3 years per child
DeferrableUp to 24 months
Notice up to the 3rd birthday7 weeks beforehand
Notice from the 3rd birthday13 weeks beforehand
Part-time workUp to 32 hours a week

Parental leave costs nothing – it is a legal entitlement against the employer, which the employer cannot refuse. What it does cost is attention to the deadlines, and here usually only half the rule is given. The well-known figure is the seven-week notice period – this applies to parental leave up to the completed third year of life. For the period between the third birthday and the completed eighth year of life, however, the notice period is 13 weeks. Since, under § 15 BEEG, up to 24 months can be deferred into precisely this period, and many parents hold months back for school enrolment, the longer notice period affects exactly the cases where it is least expected. On part-time work: during parental leave you may work “not more than 32 hours per week on average over the month”. This limit was raised from the previous 30 hours – older guides still cite the old figure. And note: the notice is binding for the stated periods; a change generally requires the employer’s approval.

Good to know

Important notes

Parental leave is notified to the employer, not to an authority. Neither the Familienkasse nor the Elterngeldstelle is competent. The employer must grant it.

There are two notice periods, not one. Seven weeks up to the third birthday, 13 weeks for the period after that. Hardly anyone knows the second one.

Up to 24 months may be deferred. Into the period between the third and eighth birthdays – often used for school enrolment, in which case the 13-week notice period applies.

The part-time limit is 32 hours a week. On average over the month. The earlier figure of 30 hours still appears in many guides.

The notice is binding. For the stated periods within the next two years. A change generally requires the employer’s approval.

Written form is required. An email is not sufficient. Have receipt of it confirmed in writing.

Protection against dismissal depends on the notice. Under § 18 BEEG it begins with it – a further reason to be able to prove receipt.

Parental leave and Elterngeld (parental allowance) are two different things. One is handled with the employer, the other with the Elterngeldstelle. The two must match up in time, but are claimed separately.

Avoid these mistakes

Common mistakes

Planning with seven weeks when 13 apply. For the period from the third birthday – that is, precisely for the months held back for school enrolment – the notice period is 13 weeks.

Giving notice by email. The written form requirement calls for a signed letter. Without it, the notice is open to challenge, and so is the protection against dismissal.

Fixing the periods without careful thought. The declaration is binding for two years; a change requires the employer’s approval.

Giving notice to the Familienkasse or the Elterngeldstelle. Neither is competent for parental leave – and the notice period continues to run.

Assuming the part-time limit is 30 hours a week. It is 32, on average over the month.

Not having receipt confirmed. In the event of a dispute, what matters is receipt and its timing – the notice period and the protection against dismissal depend on this.

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

Where do I give notice of parental leave?

To the employer. Parental leave is a legal entitlement under § 15 BEEG, not an application to an authority – neither the Familienkasse nor the Elterngeldstelle is competent for it. The employer also does not decide whether you receive parental leave; the employer must grant it if the requirements are met and you give notice in good time. The notice requires written form – an email is not sufficient.

How long is the notice period?

This depends on the period, and this is where most people make the mistake. For parental leave up to the completed third year of life of the child, the notice period is seven weeks. For the period between the third birthday and the completed eighth year of life, it is 13 weeks instead. Because up to 24 months can be deferred into this second period, and many parents hold months back for school enrolment, the longer notice period affects exactly the cases where seven weeks is assumed.

How long can I take parental leave for?

Up to three years per child. Of this, up to 24 months may be deferred to the period between the third birthday and the completed eighth year of life – an option often used for school enrolment. Both parents may take parental leave, even at the same time; the three years belong to each parent individually and are not shared.

May I work during parental leave?

Yes, on a part-time basis. § 15 BEEG provides that you may be economically active for “not more than 32 hours per week on average over the month”. This limit was raised from the previous 30 hours – older guides and templates still cite the old figure. Additional requirements and separate deadlines apply to the entitlement to a reduction in working hours with your own employer; raise this in good time.

Can I change parental leave later?

Only to a limited extent. With the notice you fix, on a binding basis, the periods within the coming two years for which you are taking parental leave – this declaration is binding. A later change generally requires the employer’s approval. So plan the periods carefully once, rather than giving quick notice and rearranging things later.

Do I have protection against dismissal during parental leave?

Yes, special protection against dismissal under § 18 BEEG. It begins as early as the notice – not only once parental leave starts – and runs for its entire duration. This is exactly why it is important to be able to prove receipt of the written notice: it marks the start of the protection. Have receipt confirmed and keep the confirmation.

Must I apply for parental leave and Elterngeld separately?

Yes, and this is one of the most common procedural mistakes. You give notice of parental leave to the employer, and you apply for Elterngeld at the Elterngeldstelle of your federal state. Two recipients, two declarations, two deadlines. In substance the two must match up – the months for which you want to receive Elterngeld should be covered by the parental leave you have given notice of – but they are dealt with separately.

What happens if I miss the notice period?

Then the possible start of parental leave is pushed back accordingly – the entitlement as such is not lost, but you cannot exercise it at the time you wanted. In practice this means: anyone who overlooks the 13-week notice period for the period from the third birthday onwards and plans with seven weeks cannot start at the intended date. So give notice earlier than necessary; giving notice too early does no harm.

Related official procedures

Elterngeld
Dealt with separately at the Elterngeldstelle
Up to €1,800
Parental Allowance Plus
Fits with part-time work
Up to €900
Mutterschaftsgeld (maternity allowance)
The time before
€13/day

Cannot find the official procedure you are looking for?

Tell us what information you need.

Send a request