Germany Notice Period Calculator

This Germany notice period calculator is for employees, expats and HR teams in Germany who need the exact date a job ends in 2026, whether the employer dismisses or the employee resigns. It applies the statutory periods in section 622 of the German Civil Code (BGB) together with the deadline rules in sections 187 and 188, then works out your last working day after any holiday you still have to take. Figures checked October 2026.

Quick answer: In Germany an employee can resign with 4 weeks' notice to the 15th or the end of a month. An employer must give at least the same, rising to 1 month to month end after 2 years of service and up to 7 months after 20 years. The Germany notice period calculator turns these rules into an exact end date.

What Is the Notice Period in Germany?

The notice period (Kündigungsfrist) is the minimum time between the day a notice letter is received and the day the employment ends. The basic rule in § 622 (1) BGB is four weeks to the 15th or to the end of a calendar month, and it applies to every employee who resigns unless the contract says otherwise.

In plain words: end date = date of receipt + notice period, then moved forward to the next allowed end date (the 15th or month end for the 4 week rule, the month end for longer periods). The day of receipt itself is not counted. A period of months ends on the day with the same number in the final month, so a letter received on 30 September with one month's notice runs to 30 October, and the employment ends on 31 October.

How Long Is the Employer's Notice Period in Germany?

An employer's notice period depends on how long the employment has lasted when the letter is received, from 4 weeks in the first two years to 7 months after 20 years. Since the European Court of Justice ruling in the Kücükdeveci case in 2010, years worked before age 25 count in full, and that old wording has been removed from the law.

Length of service when notice is received	Employer notice period (§ 622 (2) BGB)
Probation, up to 6 months	2 weeks, to any day
Under 2 years	4 weeks to the 15th or month end
2 years	1 month to month end
5 years	2 months to month end
8 years	3 months to month end
10 years	4 months to month end
12 years	5 months to month end
15 years	6 months to month end
20 years	7 months to month end

Take Jonas, a logistics coordinator in Munich who started on 1 March 2019. His employer's letter reaches him on Wednesday 30 September 2026, when he has 7 full years of service, so the period is 2 months to month end. Two months from 30 September is 30 November, which is already a month end, so his job ends on Monday 30 November 2026. With 10 holiday days left, his last day in the office is Monday 16 November. Had the letter arrived one day later, on 1 October, his job would have run until 31 December.

How to Use the Germany Notice Period Calculator

Step 1: Choose Who Gives Notice

Pick Employer for a dismissal or Employee for a resignation. The longer scale by length of service only binds the employer; an employee resigning keeps the 4 week rule unless the contract sets something longer.

Step 2: Enter the Start Date and Date of Receipt

The start date sets the years of service. The date of receipt is the day the signed letter reaches the other side, not the date printed on it. Tick the probation box if a probation period was agreed and the letter arrives within 6 months of starting.

Step 3: Add the Contract Period and Holiday

If your contract or collective agreement (Tarifvertrag) promises a longer period, such as 3 months to month end, enter the months and the calculator uses whichever end date is later. Then add the holiday days you still have to take, so the tool can count back from the end date over working days.

Step 4: Read the End Date and Deadlines

You see the end of employment, the period that applies, your years of service, the last working day and the last day at work after holiday. The table lists the next four possible end dates with the latest day the letter must arrive, which helps when you are timing a move to a new job. The days between dates calculator is handy for checking how many days remain until that end date and planning your handover around it.

How Much Notice Do I Need to Give When I Resign in Germany?

Unless your contract says otherwise, you need to give 4 weeks' notice to the 15th or the end of a month, however long you have worked there. Lena, a designer in Hamburg, hands in her letter on 30 September 2026. Four weeks later is 28 October, so the next allowed end date is 31 October 2026. If her contract says 3 months to month end, she would stay until 31 December instead, because a contract may lengthen the period but may never make the employee's notice longer than the employer's.

Whoever gives notice, § 623 BGB requires it in writing on paper with a handwritten signature. Notice by email, text message or WhatsApp is invalid, so the clock only starts when the signed original arrives. If you are weighing a Dutch offer against your German job, the Netherlands holiday allowance calculator shows the extra 8% payment many Dutch contracts include.

Exceptions That Change the Notice Period

• Collective agreements: a Tarifvertrag can set shorter or longer periods, and it also binds you if your contract refers to it.
• Temporary help: a shorter period can be agreed for temporary staff, but only for the first 3 months.
• Small employers: firms with 20 or fewer employees may agree a fixed 4 weeks without the 15th or month end dates.
• Immediate dismissal: a fristlose Kündigung for serious cause under § 626 BGB has no notice period at all.
• Special protection: pregnant employees, parents on parental leave and severely disabled employees have extra protection, and dismissal often needs official approval first.

The end date does not move when it falls on a weekend, so a job can legally end on a Saturday or Sunday. For the wider picture of moving to or working in the country, the UK government's living in Germany guide covers residence, healthcare and tax registration, and you must register with the Federal Employment Agency as job seeking at least 3 months before the end date, or within 3 days if the notice is shorter.

Frequently Asked Questions