Notice Period Calculator (Germany)
Updated November 2026 · Free · No sign-up
Calculate German statutory notice — §622 BGB: the employee gives 4 weeks to the 15th or month-end; the employer’s notice grows with tenure from 1 month (2+ years) to 7 months (20+ years), always to a month-end.
Quick answer: Employee notice: 4 weeks to the 15th or the end of a month (constant). Employer notice by tenure: 2+ yrs: 1 month; 5+: 2; 8+: 3; 10+: 4; 12+: 5; 15+: 6; 20+: 7 months — always to month-end. Probation (≤6 months): 2 weeks, any day. Contracts/Tarifverträge can extend (employee’s never longer than employer’s).
The §622 Scale
| Tenure | Employer must give |
|---|---|
| 0-2 years (post-probation) | 4 weeks to the 15th/month-end |
| 2+ years | 1 month to month-end |
| 5+ | 2 months |
| 8+ | 3 months |
| 10+ | 4 months |
| 12+ | 5 months |
| 15+ | 6 months |
| 20+ | 7 months |
The TIMING rule is the German distinctive: notice runs to fixed exit dates (the 15th or month-end for employees; month-end for the employer scale) — notice delivered mid-cycle extends to the next valid date. Delivery must be written with a wet signature (no email!) — §623 BGB’s form requirement voids electronic notices.
Worked Examples
Example 1 — employee, notice June 20. 4 weeks lands July 18 → next valid exit: July 31 (the 15th passed).
Example 2 — employer, 11 years, notice March 3. 4 months → July 3 → extended to July 31.
Example 3 — contract says "3 months to quarter-end". Common for professionals: notice in April exits September 30 — read the clause; contractual extensions bind BOTH ways (employee’s never longer than employer’s per §622(6)).
Around the Notice
Kündigungsschutz (dismissal protection, 10+ employee firms, 6+ months tenure) makes employer terminations need social justification — the notice period is the floor, the LAWFULNESS is the real fight (3-WEEK deadline to file Kündigungsschutzklage!). Severance isn’t statutory (except §1a offers and Sozialplan cases) — the 0.5-months-per-year convention is settlement culture. Garden leave (Freistellung) is common for the long notice periods. Not legal advice — the 3-week clock makes speed everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
What notice must German employees give?
Four weeks to the 15th or the end of a calendar month — constant regardless of tenure, unless the contract validly extends it.
How long is employer notice in Germany?
Tenure-scaled: 1 month (2+ years) rising to 7 months (20+ years), always effective to a month-end — plus dismissal-protection law on top.
Can notice be given by email?
No — §623 BGB requires written form with an original signature; electronic notice is void.
What is the 3-week deadline?
To challenge a dismissal (Kündigungsschutzklage) you must file within three weeks of receiving notice — missing it validates almost any dismissal.
Is severance mandatory in Germany?
Generally no — it’s negotiated (the 0.5-month-per-year convention), court-brokered, or owed via §1a/social-plan routes; the strong protection law creates the leverage.
✓ Formula verified • Last updated: November 3, 2026