Documents & ID
How long does a Führungszeugnis take?
Estimated wait
10 days – 28 days
Typically ~14 days
Based on published sources
Timeline guide
- Faster cases~12 days
- Average cases~14 days
- Slower casesUp to 28 days
The ~3-month "acceptance window" many employers apply is a customary validity, not a legal expiry, and it is NOT the processing time. Simple vs extended barely changes the speed, but high application volume can stretch it to several weeks, and it is always sent by post.
A simple (einfaches) or extended (erweitertes) national Führungszeugnis realistically takes about 2 weeks from application to arriving in your mailbox — roughly 1–2 weeks of processing at the Federal Office of Justice (Bundesamt für Justiz) plus about 1–2 weeks of postal delivery. A European Führungszeugnis takes markedly longer, about 4 weeks, because the office must request register data from your home EU state, which has up to 20 working days to reply.
More details
You apply at your local Bürgeramt (or online), but the certificate is always issued centrally in Bonn and mailed — there is no same-day or instant issuance.
Last updated: 10 Jul 2026
Information is for general knowledge only.