Declare withdrawal from a church (Kirchenaustritt)

• Age • You may declare your resignation yourself once you have completed your 14th year of age. • For children under 14 years of age and for persons without legal capacity, you, as parents or legal representatives, may declare the resignation. From the completion of the 12th year of age, children must appear in person together with you and give their consent to the declaration of resignation. • Form You can declare your resignation directly at the Amtsgericht (local court) in whose district you have your residence or habitual abode. In this case, the Amtsgericht will draw up a written record of your declaration. You can also formulate your declaration of resignation yourself in writing and have your signature certified by a notary of your choice. You must then submit this document to your Amtsgericht. • Personal declaration A declaration of resignation made by an authorized representative is not permitted.

• Declaration of withdrawal from the church (Kirchenaustrittserklärung) Possible only in person, on site, by you personally, or in writing with a notarised signature. The withdrawal cannot be declared online! • Valid identity card (Personalausweis) or passport with Meldebescheinigung (registration certificate) • Birth certificates of your children You need the birth certificates for your children if you also want to declare the withdrawal on behalf of your children and your children have not yet completed their 14th year of life. • Marriage certificate, civil partnership certificate You need the marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate (until December 2008 also kept as a marriage register book or family register book) if you also want to have the entry on the withdrawal from the religious community made in the marriage register or civil partnership register at the Standesamt (registry office).

• 30.00 euros • If the declaration is certified by a notary (male or female), additional costs will be incurred there.

• Kirchenaustrittsgesetz (KiAustrG BE) [Act on Leaving a Religious Society, Berlin] gesetze.berlin.de/bsbe/document/jlr-KiAustrGBEV2P1 • Justizverwaltungskostengesetz (JVKostG Bln) [Judicial Administration Costs Act, Berlin] item 7 of Annex 1 to § 2 gesetze.berlin.de/bsbe/document/jlr-JVKostGBEV14Anlage • Personenstandsgesetz (PStG) [Civil Status Act] § 16 para. 1 item 7 www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pstg/__16.html • Personenstandsgesetz (PStG) § 17 www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pstg/__17.html

• Kirchensteuer (church tax) - assessment (service) service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/326175/ • Justiz-Online: nationwide location and court search www.justizadressen.nrw.de/

Responsibility lies exclusively with the Amtsgericht (local court) in whose district you have your residence or habitual abode. Amtsgericht districts are not always identical to administrative districts. Note: The option to book an appointment online for leaving a church (Kirchenaustritt) currently exists at only a few Amtsgerichte (local courts). If your residence is in an Amtsgericht district where online appointment booking is not offered, please make an appointment in person (for example, using the contact form).