Letter from the Bußgeldstelle (fines office): hearing, warning, fine notice

There are Bußgeldstellen at cities, districts (Landkreise) and state authorities. Each federal state decides which authority is responsible for traffic offences. The authority handling your case is named in the letterhead, together with the Aktenzeichen (file reference number). Give this Aktenzeichen in every reply and with every payment.

You file an Einspruch (objection) against a Bußgeldbescheid (fine notice) in writing or in person for the record (zur Niederschrift) at the authority that issued the notice. It must arrive there before the deadline ends. Send it in a way that lets you prove delivery, for example by Einschreiben (registered letter), or hand it in personally and ask for a confirmation of receipt.

You answer an Anhörungsbogen (hearing form) or an offer of a warning with the enclosed form or with your own letter. Some authorities also offer an online form.

Write your reply in German. German authorities work in German, so a letter in German is the safest way to make sure your reply is understood and processed. The templates (Vorlagen) on this site are in German.

Deadline calculated wrongly: A Bußgeldbescheid is delivered formally (förmliche Zustellung), usually in a yellow envelope with a Zustellungsurkunde (certificate of delivery). The deadline starts on the date the delivery person wrote on the envelope, even if the letter was only put into your letterbox. The four-day rule for normal decisions does not apply here. Keep the envelope.

Saying too much: In the Anhörungsbogen you only have to give your personal details. You may remain silent about the accusation itself.

Driver not named: If the authority cannot find out who was driving, it can order the vehicle keeper (Halter) to keep a Fahrtenbuch (logbook of journeys). For parking and stopping offences, the keeper must then also pay the costs of the proceedings.