Benefits & Tax
How long does Elterngeld take to process?
Estimated wait
28 days – 3 months
Typically ~56 days
Based on published sources
Timeline guide
- Faster cases~42 days
- Average cases~56 days
- Slower casesUp to 3 months
Because Elterngeld is paid back to the claimed start month, a long delay does not cost you money — it only delays the first transfer. Do not confuse processing time with the 3-month retroactive window or the 12–14 months the benefit is then paid.
A complete Elterngeld application is typically processed in about 4–8 weeks, but this varies sharply by state. Fast offices such as Bavaria and Saxony manage roughly 4 weeks, while busy urban offices — Berlin in particular — can take 8–14 weeks or more. Processing only begins once every required document is in, including the birth certificate and employer income confirmations.
More details
The federal family portal deliberately publishes no single nationwide figure, because the actual processing time is set by each state Elterngeldstelle.
Sources
Last updated: 9 Jul 2026
Information is for general knowledge only.