Application Certificate of Conduct

Prerequisites

• You have already turned 14 years old.

If you want to apply for the certificate of good conduct online, you need:

• Electronic identity card, electronic residence permit or eID card, each with activated online ID function
• current smartphone
• IDApp
• Credit card or Giropay

Documents required

• ID card or passport
• If applicable: proof of exemption from costs
• If you are applying for an extended certificate of good conduct: Confirmation from the person or body requesting the extended certificate of good conduct from you that the requirements of Section 30a of the Federal Central Register Act are met

Please note

If you need a certificate of good conduct for official purposes and wish to view it, you can request that it be sent in advance to a local court of your choosing. You can then decide whether the certificate should be forwarded to the relevant authority.

For a certificate of good conduct for use abroad, you may need a certificate of authenticity in the form of a legalization or an apostille. This will incur additional costs and increase the processing time.

Information on whether and, if so, in what form a certificate of authenticity is required can be obtained from the embassies or consular offices of the countries in which the certificate of good conduct is to be presented.

If you are abroad, you can send the application in writing directly to the Federal Office of Justice. The application, bearing your signature, must be officially certified.

If you need proof of your criminal record in countries outside the EU, please contact the relevant foreign mission.

Deadlines

no

Procedure

You can submit the application online:

• You can access the online service via the website of the Federal Office of Justice (www.fuehrungszeugnis.bund.de).
• You state for whom you would like to apply for the certificate of good conduct.
• You connect to the online ID function.
• Your personal data will be read out.
• You provide information about your nationality.
• You indicate which certificate of good conduct you would like to apply for (simple, extended certificate of good conduct or certificate of good conduct for official purposes).
• You upload any necessary documents.
• You will see the summary.
• You pay the fee by credit card or Giropay.
• You will usually receive the certificate of good conduct by mail. Only the official certificate of good conduct is sent directly to the authorities.

You can submit the application in person:

• You can make an appointment online or by calling 115.
• You bring all necessary documents with you to the appointment and present them.
• Certificates of good conduct can be applied for at the registration office of both the main and secondary residence.
• The responsible authority will accept your application and forward it to the Federal Office of Justice.
• You will receive confirmation of your application.
• You pay the fee.
• You will usually receive the certificate of good conduct by mail. Only the official certificate of good conduct is sent directly to the authorities.

Processing time

The application takes about 5 minutes.




The processing time for the

• simple and extended certificate of good conduct approximately 2 weeks


• European certificate of good conduct approximately 6 weeks

Fees

• 13.00 EUR, plus any additional costs for certification or apostille


• If you meet one of the following requirements, the certificate of good conduct may be free of charge for you:
  
  
  
  • Receiving citizen’s allowance
  
  
  • Receiving social assistance
  
  
  • Receipt of child benefit supplement according to Section 6a of the Federal Child Benefit Act
  
  
  • Receiving benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act
  
  
  • Receiving BAföG
  
  
  • Full-time carer
  
  
  • voluntary work
  
  
  • Voluntary social year
  
  

Legal remedies

no

Legal basis

Federal Central Register Act (BZRG)


https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bzrg/