Church exits in the north: Fees remain stable - what does it cost?

Church exits in the north: Fees remain stable - what does it cost?

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Deutschland - For many people, the exit of the church is an important decision associated with certain costs and steps. As the data from the north of Germany show, the fees for leaving the church have kept themselves stable, while adjustments were made in other federal states. stern reports that in Hamburg the fee for the certificate of church outlet since January 2005 2005 Stay constant at 31 euros. In the meantime, Thuringia recently raised his fee from 30 euros to 36 euros.

In the entire northeast of Germany, the fees for the church vary, they are between 15 and 31 euros, depending on the state. The fee in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was last raised from 12 to 15 euros in 2021, but children under the age of 14 do not fall into the cost trap. In Schleswig-Holstein you are traveling with a fee of 20 euros, which has also been untouched for several years.

Details on the church exit

If you want to leave the church, you have to explain your leaving office at the responsible registry office and pay the corresponding fee. The legal regulations in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are clear: The church tax liability ends with the resignation, which can be explained independently from the age of 14. The approval of the legal representatives is necessary for younger children. Oral explanations are recorded, while written before the registry office must be certified, as in the Law on the collection of church tax in the country M-V

The process costs for leaving the church are indispensable from everyday life. On average, they incur between 25 and 35 euros in Germany, whereby you can pay up to 60 euros in some regions. The costs include not only the fee for the exit, but also administrative expenses, personnel costs and other administrative fees, such as Biegigigt.de . Interestingly, there are also hardship regulations for people with low incomes or social benefits, for example Hartz IV recipients can be freed from fees in some federal states.

a trend in change

The numbers of church exits in Germany cannot be overlooked. In 2021, over 639,000 withdrawals were recorded, while in 2023 around 402,694 people from the Catholic and around 380,000 escaped from the Evangelical Church. Despite a slight decline compared to 2022, the numbers are still high. This development is often influenced by social events, such as abuse scandals, what shows, "there is something about" in the discussion about church memberships.

Finally, it can be said that the church leakage is a far -reaching decision, which for many also has a financial component. The fees may be interpreted differently, but the effects on church tax liability remain relevant in every federal state. In a constantly changing social framework, such decisions are not taken easier.