Letters and deadlines
Mahnbescheid
Court payment order
Last updated: September 28, 2026
What does Mahnbescheid mean?
A Mahnbescheid is a payment order issued by a German court at a creditor's request, usually delivered in a yellow envelope. The court does not check whether the debt is real. You have two weeks from delivery to pay or to file a Widerspruch. If you do nothing, the creditor can obtain an enforceable Vollstreckungsbescheid.
Key facts
| Deadline to pay or object | 2 weeks after service (§692 ZPO) |
| Next step if ignored | Vollstreckungsbescheid (enforcement order) |
| Deadline against that | 2 weeks, Einspruch (§339 ZPO) |
| Does the court check the claim? | No, not at this stage |
What to do
- Note the delivery date written on the yellow envelope: the 2 weeks start there.
- If you owe the money, pay the amount including interest and costs.
- If you dispute it, use the enclosed Widerspruch form, tick whether you object fully or partly, and send it back to the court within 2 weeks. No reasons are needed.
- After a Widerspruch, the creditor must sue in normal court proceedings and prove the claim.
- If a Vollstreckungsbescheid arrives, you have one more chance: an Einspruch within 2 weeks.
Worth knowing
Scammers send fake 'Mahnbescheide' by email. A real one always comes by post, in a yellow envelope, from an Amtsgericht (usually a central dunning court). Never pay from an email link.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I ignore a Mahnbescheid?
After two weeks the creditor can apply for a Vollstreckungsbescheid, which allows bailiffs to enforce the debt, for example by seizing wages or bank balances. You then have two more weeks to file an Einspruch.
Do I need a lawyer to object to a Mahnbescheid?
No. You can object yourself with the form sent with the Mahnbescheid, without giving reasons. If the creditor then sues, getting legal advice is sensible.
Read next
Sources
More German terms: letters and deadlines
Plain-English explanations of the words on your letters and forms.