Hamburg East Tax Office

Church tax: General information for leaving the church

Do you want to leave the church or another tax-collecting religious community? Here you can find out what you need to know about church tax.

Detailed description

Have you declared your withdrawal from the church or another religious community that levies taxes in Germany at the Hamburg Service office? This will affect your income tax deduction.



You are no longer required to pay church taxes.



Your withdrawal from the church will be automatically recorded in your electronic income tax deduction information (ELStAM). You do not need to provide your employer with any proof.

 

Information

Prerequisites

You have declared your resignation from the church at the local Hamburg service.

Documents required

no

Please note

no

Deadlines

Your withdrawal from the church will take effect for tax purposes on the 1st of the next month.

Procedure

  • You declare your withdrawal from the church at the HamburgService office on site.
  • The HamburgService on site will forward your resignation and the date of resignation to the responsible authority.
  • Your employer will be informed the next time your electronic wage tax deduction features (ELStAM) are retrieved that no church tax will be withheld for you.

Processing time

The change will be transmitted directly from the Hamburg Service on site to the responsible authority.

Fees

no


Even when officially leaving the church, fees apply at the Hamburg Service on site.

Legal remedies

No legal remedy is provided for.

Legal basis

Section 39e of the Income Tax Act (EStG)


www.gesetze-im-internet.de/estg/__39e.html

Related services

Links on the Internet

Address and contact information

Hamburg East Tax Office

Mon - Tue 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Thurs 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., closed on Wednesdays and Fridays

Mailbox available. Oberalster tax office (Postfach 10 22 48, 20015 Hamburg); Tax Office East (Postfach 10 10 23, 20007 Hamburg). The first time the day is emptied, the date of the previous working day (Saturday not working day) is noted on the letter as receipt.

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Keywords: Leaving church, ELStAM Church tax Church wage tax ELStAM Exit church ELStAM, employee, leaving the church

Last updated: 14.02.2026