Apply for a Birth Certificate 2026

Costs€10.00–15.00State law (§ 72 PStG); further copies from €5.00; free of charge for pensions and Kindergeld

Processing timeImmediate to 2 weeksIn person usually immediately, in writing around 10 working days (Cologne) to 2 weeks (Munich)

MethodIn person, in writing or onlineThe Standesamt of the place of birth (§ 18 Abs. 1 PStG), not of the place of residence

Types of certificate

Birth certificate, register extract or international version?

The Standesamt issues several different documents from the same register entry. Anyone who orders the wrong one pays twice.

Many applications fail not because of the authority, but because of the name: anyone who orders a "birth certificate" to register a marriage gets exactly that — and then finds that the Standesamt actually wanted to see a certified extract from the register of births. Both documents come from the same entry but differ in the scope of the data they reproduce. Before ordering, therefore, clarify with the body requesting the document which of the following versions is required.

Birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde) (§ 55 Abs. 1 Nr. 3, § 59 PStG)

The standard certificate with the current core data: given names and birth name, gender, place and the day, hour and minute of birth, and the given names and family names of the parents. Later entries in the register — such as a change of name — are only reflected in the current version, not listed historically. For Kindergeld, Elterngeld, school registration, passport applications and most everyday purposes, this certificate is sufficient.

Certified extract from the register of births (§ 55 Abs. 1 Nr. 5 PStG)

This extract reproduces the complete register entry, including all subsequent recordings, such as adoption notes, changes of name, acknowledgements of paternity and corrections. Because it shows the entire civil-status history, registry offices regularly require it when registering a marriage, and naturalisation authorities require it when examining descent. Order it explicitly under this name, otherwise you will receive the short certificate.

International (multilingual) birth certificate

It is based on CIEC Convention No. 16 of 8 September 1976 on the issue of multilingual extracts from civil status registers, supplemented by CIEC Convention No. 34 of 2014. The details are made accessible in several languages through fixed field numbers, so no separate translation is needed in the contracting states. The fee is the same as for the German certificate, so €12.00 in Munich as well; the same fee rates apply in Cologne.

Birth certificate without gender and parental details (§ 59 Abs. 2 PStG)

On express request, the gender and the details of the parents are not included in the certificate. This is useful if the certificate is to be presented to a body that does not need this data, or if family circumstances are not to be disclosed. The request must be made when applying — afterwards, a new copy with a new fee is required.

Required documents

What you need to bring or enclose

Depending on whether you are applying for yourself, for a child, for an ancestor or as a third party, the Standesamt requires different evidence.

Valid identity card or passport

The Standesamt must establish your identity beyond doubt before it releases civil status data. If you attend in person, you present the original; for a written or online application, a clearly legible copy or scan is usually sufficient. From the age of 16, you can apply in your own right; for younger children, the parents with custody act on their behalf.

Complete details of the birth being sought

You will need the given names and birth name (not the current married name), the exact date of birth and the place of birth, ideally supplemented by the parents' names. This information is the search key in the register of births; if it is missing, the Standesamt has to search manually. This triggers additional search fees — €20.00 to €80.00 in Berlin, and up to €100.00 per case in Munich.

Proof of family relationship (§ 62 Abs. 1 PStG)

In addition to the person concerned, their spouses and civil partners, as well as their ancestors — including grandparents and great-grandparents — and their descendants are entitled to apply. If the family relationship is not evident from your identity document, prove the line of descent with your own birth certificates, the marriage certificate (Eheurkunde) or the family record book (Stammbuch). Without this evidence, the Standesamt will refuse the application, even if the relationship actually exists.

Demonstrating a legal interest (§ 62 Abs. 2 PStG)

Anyone who does not belong to the group of directly entitled persons must credibly demonstrate a legal interest — a mere legitimate interest, let alone a personal one, is not enough. This means the certificate must be needed to pursue or defend rights, for example in probate or maintenance proceedings; this is typically evidenced by a court letter, an order to trace heirs, or a power of attorney from a lawyer. There is a relaxation for siblings: for birth and death certificates, credibly demonstrating a legitimate interest is sufficient for them.

Written power of attorney with a copy of an identity document

If you are applying for the certificate on behalf of an entitled person, you need a power of attorney signed by them, as well as a copy of their identity document. The power of attorney should state the purpose and the number of copies requested, so that the Standesamt can see the scope of the authorisation. If the copy of the identity document of the person granting the power of attorney is missing, the application will usually be put on hold.

Proof of exemption from the fee

If the certificate is needed for statutory pension, health or accident insurance, or for Kindergeld, Elterngeld, Bürgergeld or training allowance, it is free of charge. State the purpose in the application and, if possible, enclose the request letter from the pension or health insurance fund, the Familienkasse (Family Benefits Office), the Elterngeldstelle (parental allowance office) or the Jobcenter. If the purpose is not stated, the normal fee is charged, and no subsequent refund is provided for.

Postal address and payment details for a written application

For an application by post, email or online form, the Standesamt needs a full delivery address and a phone number or email address for queries. Many offices only send the certificate once payment has been received, or enclose a fee notice; some require a stamped return envelope. Clarify the preferred payment method in advance, otherwise dispatch will be delayed by days to weeks.

Additional documents for newborns

For the initial recording of a birth, the hospital submits the birth notification to the Standesamt; the parents provide their personal documents afterwards. Usually required are the identity documents of both parents, their own birth certificates, the marriage certificate for married parents, and, for unmarried parents, the acknowledgement of paternity together with a declaration of parental custody (Sorgeerklärung). If the parents have different surnames, a name declaration (Namenserklärung) must also be made for the child.

Step by step

How to proceed

Seven steps from checking jurisdiction to the finished certificate — including the points where most applications fail.

1
Determine the competent Standesamt
The competent authority is the Standesamt in whose district the birth took place (§ 18 Abs. 1 PStG) — not the Standesamt of your current place of residence. What matters is therefore the place of birth within the meaning of the register entry, so often the location of the clinic and not the parents' place of residence at the time of birth. However, this jurisdiction only applies for as long as the register of births is still maintained: under § 5 Abs. 5 PStG, the period for maintaining it (Fortführungsfrist) is 110 years; after that, the registers must be offered to the competent public archives under § 7 Abs. 3 PStG. If the birth was recorded abroad and never subsequently recorded in a German register, no German register entry exists — which body is then responsible depends on the individual case, and you will need to ask the competent authority.
2
Check entitlement to apply under § 62 PStG
Before applying, check whether you even belong to the group of entitled persons: these are the person to whom the entry relates, their spouses and civil partners, and their ancestors and descendants. All other persons must credibly demonstrate a legal interest, which is a considerably higher hurdle than a mere legitimate interest and, without solid evidence, usually leads to refusal. Siblings are privileged: for birth and death certificates, a legitimate interest is sufficient for them. If you do not belong to this group, obtain a written power of attorney from an entitled person before applying — that is quicker and safer than trying to establish a legal interest.
3
Gather the full details of the birth
Note down the given names and birth name, the exact date of birth, the place of birth and — as far as known — the full names of the parents, including the mother's birth name. The more precise this information is, the faster the Standesamt will find the entry; incomplete or incorrect details, on the other hand, trigger search fees, which in Berlin range between €20.00 and €80.00 and can be up to €100.00 in Munich. For simply determining which Standesamt is responsible at all, Berlin charges €30.00. If you only know the place of birth approximately, research it first in family documents rather than having the office search for it.
4
Choose how to apply and make an appointment
You can attend in person, submit the application informally by post, send it by email — if the local authority allows this — or use an online form; there is no uniform nationwide portal, because each local authority organises its own procedure. Attending in person is the fastest route, but in many cities requires a prior appointment. The written application does not need any particular form: name, date of birth, place of birth, relationship, purpose, the number of copies required and your address are enough. State in the same letter whether you need the German or the international version.
5
Prove your identity and entitlement
If you attend in person, present your original identity card (Personalausweis) or passport; the Standesamt checks the data directly against the register entry. For a written or online application, enclose a copy of your identity document and add — depending on the situation — proof of descent, the signed power of attorney with a copy of the identity document of the person granting it, or the demonstration of a legal interest. Incomplete evidence does not lead to refusal, but to a query by post, which typically extends the process by one to two weeks.
6
Pay the fee or claim exemption from it
The first copy costs between €10.00 and €15.00 depending on the local authority; every further copy ordered at the same time is reduced and costs between €5.00 and €9.00. So order straight away all the copies you are likely to need — the reduction only applies when ordering at the same time, and a later reorder is charged again at the full rate. If the certificate is needed for pension, health or accident insurance, Kindergeld, Elterngeld, Bürgergeld or training allowance, state this purpose explicitly: the fee is then waived entirely. Depending on the office, payment is made in cash, by EC debit card, or by bank transfer following a fee notice.
7
Check the certificate and keep it safely
If you attend in person, you usually receive the certificate immediately; certificates applied for in writing take around ten working days (Cologne) or about two weeks plus postal time (Munich). Check straight away the spelling of the given names, birth name, date of birth, place of birth and the parents' details, and report any discrepancies to the issuing Standesamt immediately — corrections are straightforward as long as the error lies in the copy, and more involved if the register entry itself is incorrect. Keep the certificate together with the family record book (Stammbuch); a scanned copy does not replace it, but it does help when reordering if it is lost.

Fee information

Costs and payment

Under § 72 PStG, the fee is a matter of state law. There are no uniform nationwide prices — here are the actual rates charged by large registry offices.

Fees in detail

First copy€10.00–15.00 — Cologne €10.00 · Berlin €12.00 · Munich €12.00 · Münster €15.00

Further copiesReduced, usually half to around 60% of the first fee: Cologne €5.00 · Berlin €6.00 (half the fee from the 2nd certificate onwards) · Munich €6.00 · Münster €9.00. The reduction only applies when ordering at the same time.

International certificateFee identical to the German certificate — €12.00 in Munich; the same fee rates apply in Cologne.

No feeFor statutory pension, health and accident insurance, as well as for Kindergeld, Elterngeld, Bürgergeld and training allowance — the purpose must be stated.

Search fee for incomplete informationBerlin €20.00–80.00 depending on the effort involved (€30.00 just for determining the competent Standesamt); Munich up to €100.00 per case.

Legal basis for the fee§ 72 PStG refers to state law; in Berlin, for example, the Ordinance Implementing the Civil Status Act (Verordnung zur Ausführung des Personenstandsgesetzes) of 2 July 2019.

Place of paymentCash desk of the Standesamt at the place of birth, or bank transfer following a fee notice

Means of paymentCash, debit (EC/Girocard) card or bank transfer — depending on the local authority; credit cards are by no means accepted everywhere

How to pay as little as possible: The biggest lever is the fee exemption. If the certificate is intended for the pension insurance, the health insurance fund, the accident insurance, the Familienkasse, the Elterngeldstelle, the Jobcenter or the employment agency anyway, state the purpose explicitly in the application and enclose the request letter — then the copy costs nothing. The second lever is ordering at the same time: two certificates together cost €18.00 in Berlin, whereas two ordered separately cost €24.00. The third lever is complete information, because a search fee can exceed the actual certificate fee many times over.

Also bear in mind that additional costs can arise outside the Standesamt: an apostille for countries outside the European Union is charged separately, as are certified translations by sworn translators. Within the EU, both items are generally unnecessary, because Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 abolished the apostille for civil status documents and introduced multilingual forms as a translation aid instead.

Good to know

Important notes and special cases

Deadlines, old cases, changes of name and use abroad — the points that standard guides leave out.

The 110-year limit for old birth years. Under § 5 Abs. 5 PStG, the register of births is only maintained for 110 years. After that, the registers must be offered to the competent public archives under § 7 Abs. 3 PStG; responsibility then lies with the municipal or state archive, no longer the Standesamt. The archive no longer issues civil status documents, only plain or certified copies of the entry — this is the usual route for genealogical research.

Notification deadline for newborns: one week. Under § 18 Abs. 1 PStG, a birth must be notified within one week to the Standesamt in whose area of responsibility the child was born. Under § 19 PStG, the parents with custody are primarily responsible for the notification; for a birth in a clinic or maternity facility, the institution (Träger) takes over the notification under § 20 PStG. A shorter deadline applies for stillbirths: they must be notified no later than the third working day following the birth.

Certificate without gender and parental details. § 59 Abs. 2 PStG expressly permits the gender and the details of the parents to be omitted on request. This is helpful, for example, with job application documents, club registrations or in sensitive family situations. State this wish when applying, because a certificate that has already been issued cannot be changed afterwards.

Self-Determination Act (Selbstbestimmungsgesetz) in force since 1 November 2024. Since the SBGG came into force, the gender entry and given names can be changed by declaration to the Standesamt. The procedure has two stages: first the change must be notified to the Standesamt in advance, and the declaration can be recorded no sooner than three months later. After it has been recorded, the birth certificate is issued with the new details; copies already issued remain at the old status and must be reordered.

You do not need an apostille within the EU. Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 exempts civil status documents from the apostille requirement between member states; instead, on request, you receive a multilingual form that serves as a translation aid. For countries outside the EU, an apostille or legalisation may still be required, depending on the destination country. Check this before ordering, otherwise you will pay for a certification that nobody is asking for.

Applying in your own right from age 16. Young people can apply for their own birth certificate themselves from their 16th birthday, without being accompanied by their parents. For younger children, the parents with custody act on their behalf, and must prove their own identity and custody in doing so. This is particularly relevant when starting training, applying for jobs, and for a first passport application.

Siblings are privileged. In principle, persons outside the core group must credibly demonstrate a legal interest. For birth and death certificates, however, a legitimate interest is sufficient for siblings — for example, settling an estate or clarifying family circumstances. Expressly point out this exception in your application if a caseworker overlooks it.

First passport for a child. The children's passport (Kinderreisepass) was abolished on 1 January 2024; since then, children have received a regular electronic passport for €37.50 (under 24 years of age), for which the birth certificate must be presented as proof of descent. Since 1 May 2025, paper passport photos for the identity card and passport are no longer permitted — only a digital photograph from an authority terminal (€6.00) or from a certified photographer with a DataMatrix code is now permitted. For details, see our page on the passport.

The birth certificate does not expire. A birth certificate, once issued, remains valid; there is no expiry date. Some bodies nonetheless require a "current" copy, because they want to ensure that any register changes made in the meantime — such as a change of name or an adoption — are taken into account. If in doubt, ask the requesting body before unnecessarily reordering.

Applying online is a matter for the local authority. Numerous registry offices offer online forms or service portals through which you can request the certificate and have it sent to you by post. Whether this route is available, and whether identity is checked by means of a copy of an identity document or electronically, is decided by the relevant local authority. In any case, expect the usual processing times of around ten working days to two weeks, plus postal time.

Avoid these mistakes

Common mistakes and their consequences

Every one of these mistakes costs real money or time, or leads to the application being refused.

Applied to the Standesamt of the place of residence. The competent authority is the Standesamt of the place of birth (§ 18 Abs. 1 PStG). The application is not processed and, at best, is forwarded on — you lose one to two weeks; at worst, you simply receive a refusal and have to apply again completely from scratch.

Argued on the basis of a "legitimate interest". § 62 Abs. 2 PStG requires third parties to have a legal interest, that is, the pursuit or defence of concrete rights. Anyone who only puts forward a personal or legitimate interest receives a refusal notice (Bescheid) — the processing fee may still be charged, and the application is lost. Exception: for birth certificates, a legitimate interest is sufficient for siblings.

Assumed that only parents and children are entitled. § 62 Abs. 1 PStG entitles all ancestors and descendants — grandparents and great-grandparents, therefore, just as much as grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Anyone who wrongly believes they are not entitled unnecessarily obtains a power of attorney or does without the certificate altogether, thereby delaying pension, probate or family proceedings.

Did not claim the fee exemption. Anyone who does not state the purpose as pension, health or accident insurance, Kindergeld, Elterngeld, Bürgergeld or training allowance pays the full fee of €10.00 to €15.00 — per copy and with no prospect of a subsequent refund. For a family with several children, this quickly adds up to a double-digit amount that was simply avoidable.

Gave incomplete details of the birth. If the date of birth, birth name or the exact place of birth is missing, the Standesamt has to search and charges a search fee for this: €20.00 to €80.00 in Berlin depending on the effort involved, and up to €100.00 in Munich. The search fee is charged even if no entry is found in the end.

Ordered only one copy and reordered later. The reduced fee for second and further copies applies only when ordering at the same time. Anyone in Berlin who orders two certificates together pays €18.00; anyone who orders twice separately pays €24.00 — plus a second processing time of up to two weeks.

Wrote to the Standesamt for old birth years. For births that took place more than 110 years ago, the register is no longer held by the Standesamt but by the public archive (§ 5 Abs. 5, § 7 Abs. 3 PStG). The Standesamt can then no longer issue a birth certificate; you receive a refusal and have to start the process again with the municipal or state archive, which only provides copies of the register entry.

Ordered the certificate instead of the certified register extract. When registering a marriage, registry offices and, for proof of descent, naturalisation authorities often require the certified extract from the register of births under § 55 Abs. 1 Nr. 5 PStG. Anyone who presents the short certificate under § 59 PStG has it rejected, pays a second fee, and loses another one to two weeks.

Applied for an apostille for use within the EU. Since Regulation (EU) 2016/1191, an apostille is no longer required for civil status documents between EU member states; a multilingual form is sufficient as a translation aid. Anyone who applies for one anyway pays an extra fee and waits unnecessarily for a certification mark that the receiving authority does not even require.

Confused the birth certificate with the death certificate. To prove a death, for example to a probate court (Nachlassgericht), an insurer or a bank, the death certificate (Sterbeurkunde) is needed, issued by the Standesamt of the place of death. The birth certificate is not accepted there; ordering the wrong one costs a full fee and delays the handling of the estate.

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

Who is entitled to apply for a birth certificate?

Under § 62 Abs. 1 PStG, the person to whom the register entry relates, their spouses and civil partners, and their ancestors and descendants are entitled to apply. Ancestors include not only the parents but also grandparents and great-grandparents. All other persons must credibly demonstrate a legal interest; as an exception, a legitimate interest is sufficient for siblings for birth and death certificates. From the age of 16, you can apply in your own right.

How much does a birth certificate cost in 2026?

Under § 72 PStG, the fee is a matter of state law and in practice ranges between €10.00 and €15.00: Cologne charges €10.00, Berlin and Munich €12.00 each, and Münster €15.00. Further copies ordered at the same time are considerably cheaper: €5.00 in Cologne, €6.00 in Berlin and Munich, and €9.00 in Münster. There is no nationwide uniform price.

When is the birth certificate free of charge?

For the purposes of statutory pension, health and accident insurance, as well as for Kindergeld, Elterngeld, Bürgergeld and training allowance, the birth certificate is issued free of charge. However, you must state the purpose and, if in doubt, present the request letter from the body concerned. Anyone who does not state the purpose pays the regular fee, with no refund provided for.

How long does it take to issue a birth certificate?

If you attend in person, the certificate is usually issued and handed over immediately. Written and online applications take considerably longer: Cologne states around ten working days, Munich around two weeks plus postal time. If information is missing and the Standesamt has to search, processing takes even longer.

Can I apply for the birth certificate online?

Many registry offices offer an online form that lets you request the certificate and have it sent to you by post. Whether and in what form this is possible is decided by the relevant local authority; there is no uniform nationwide portal. Identity is checked by means of an uploaded copy of an identity document or the electronic identity procedure.

Where do I get the birth certificate of an ancestor born in 1900?

Under § 5 Abs. 5 PStG, the register of births is only maintained for 110 years. After that, the registers must be offered to the competent public archives under § 7 Abs. 3 PStG, that is, the municipal or state archive. The archive no longer issues civil status documents, only plain or certified copies of the register entry.

What is the difference between a birth certificate and a certified register extract?

The birth certificate under § 59 PStG contains only the current core data: given names and birth name, gender, place and the day, hour and minute of birth, and the names of the parents. The certified extract from the register of births under § 55 Abs. 1 Nr. 5 PStG, by contrast, reproduces the complete entry with all subsequent recordings, such as changes of name or adoption notes. It is often precisely this register extract that is required for registering a marriage and for naturalisation procedures.

Do I need an apostille for use abroad?

Not within the European Union: under Regulation (EU) 2016/1191, the apostille is not required for civil status documents; instead, on request, you receive a multilingual form as a translation aid. For countries outside the EU, an apostille or legalisation is still required, depending on the destination country. Alternatively, the international multilingual birth certificate under CIEC Convention No. 16 of 8 September 1976 is available.

Can the certificate be issued without details of gender and parents?

Yes. Under § 59 Abs. 2 PStG, the gender and the details of the parents are not included in the birth certificate on request. This is particularly relevant when the certificate is to be presented to a body that does not need this data. You must state this wish explicitly when applying.

Within what period must a birth be notified?

Under § 18 Abs. 1 PStG, a birth must be notified within one week to the Standesamt in whose area of responsibility the child was born. Under § 19 PStG, the parents with custody are generally responsible for the notification; for a birth in a clinic or maternity facility, the institution takes over the notification under § 20 PStG. A shorter deadline applies for stillbirths: they must be notified no later than the third working day following the birth.

Apply for a birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde)

Birth certificate, register extract or international version?

What you need to bring or enclose

How to proceed

Determine the competent Standesamt

Check entitlement to apply under § 62 PStG

Gather the full details of the birth

Choose how to apply and make an appointment

Prove your identity and entitlement

Pay the fee or claim exemption from it

Check the certificate and keep it safely

Costs and payment

Fees in detail

Important notes and special cases

Common mistakes and their consequences

Questions and answers

Cannot find the official procedure you are looking for?

Apply for a birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde)

Birth certificate, register extract or international version?

What you need to bring or enclose

How to proceed

Determine the competent Standesamt

Check entitlement to apply under § 62 PStG

Gather the full details of the birth

Choose how to apply and make an appointment

Prove your identity and entitlement

Pay the fee or claim exemption from it

Check the certificate and keep it safely

Costs and payment

Fees in detail

Important notes and special cases

Common mistakes and their consequences

Questions and answers

Related official procedures

Cannot find the official procedure you are looking for?