Wegweiser Citizens and Authorities · Your rights in administrative procedure Deutsch

🧭 Advice and points of contact

Where to get help in a dispute with authorities. Only verified, nationwide offices.

advice points of contact local court (Amtsgericht) BfDI Petitions Committee legal advice assistance (Beratungshilfe) lawyer

In brief

These offices are nationwide and verified:

  • Local court (Amtsgericht) where you live: legal advice assistance, authorisation voucher (not in Bremen and Hamburg, § 12 Abs. 1 BerHG; Berlin: right to choose, § 12 Abs. 2 BerHG).
  • Justiz-Services: service.justiz.de/beratungshilfe (legal advice assistance test).
  • BfDI (data protection and freedom of information at federal level): Graurheindorfer Straße 153, 53117 Bonn, poststelle@bfdi.bund.de, tel. 0228-997799-0.
  • Petitions Committee of the German Bundestag: epetitionen.bundestag.de.

For your Land and your city, please look up the competent office yourself, for example lawyers, welfare associations or advice centres. We do not name unchecked addresses.

Step by step

  1. State the deadlineSay immediately if a deadline is running.
  2. Organise your documentsNotice, envelope with postmark, correspondence.
  3. Choose the right officeLegal advice: lawyer with legal advice assistance. Data questions: BfDI or state authority.
  4. Clarify costsAsk about costs in advance; consider legal advice assistance.

Deadlines

1 month
Common deadline for objection and court action; so seek advice immediately.§ 70 VwGO; § 84, § 87 SGG
4 weeks
Application for retroactive legal advice assistance.§ 6 Abs. 2 BerHG
Watch out – common mistakes
  • In Bremen and Hamburg, public legal advice takes the place of legal advice assistance; in Berlin you have a choice (§ 12 Abs. 2 BerHG): if you choose legal advice assistance, you get the authorisation voucher from the local court (not checked in full text).
  • We name no regional advice centres because we have not checked them individually.
  • Advice centres cannot guarantee success.
  • In case of acute danger, call 110 or 112.
  • This platform is not legal advice.
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals

How the offices fit together

The local court is the point of contact for legal advice assistance. The BfDI supervises federal authorities on data protection and is the point of contact for freedom of information at federal level. The Petitions Committee deals with requests and complaints on federal matters. Lawyers and authorised representatives within the meaning of § 67 VwGO and § 73 SGG can represent you in proceedings.

Gap

Regional advice centres, state data protection authorities, welfare associations, bar associations and Landtage differ by place and Land and were not checked or listed individually.

Who is responsible
  • Local court (Amtsgericht) (legal advice assistance)
  • BfDI
  • Petitions Committee of the Bundestag
  • Lawyer
Further reading
Legal advice assistance and legal aidFees and costsInformation about your data (Art. 15 DSGVO)

Quick questions

What is “Advice and points of contact”?
Where to get help in a dispute with authorities. Only verified, nationwide offices.
Which deadlines and figures matter?
  • 1 month: Common deadline for objection and court action; so seek advice immediately. (§ 70 VwGO; § 84, § 87 SGG)
  • 4 weeks: Application for retroactive legal advice assistance. (§ 6 Abs. 2 BerHG)
What should I do first?
  • State the deadline: Say immediately if a deadline is running.
  • Organise your documents: Notice, envelope with postmark, correspondence.
  • Choose the right office: Legal advice: lawyer with legal advice assistance. Data questions: BfDI or state authority.
What do I need to watch out for?
  • In Bremen and Hamburg, public legal advice takes the place of legal advice assistance; in Berlin you have a choice (§ 12 Abs. 2 BerHG): if you choose legal advice assistance, you get the authorisation voucher from the local court (not checked in full text).
  • We name no regional advice centres because we have not checked them individually.
  • Advice centres cannot guarantee success.
Evidence
  • BfDI, bfdi.bund.de, retrieved 20 September 2026
  • Gesetze im Internet, § 6 BerHG, retrieved 20 September 2026
  • Deutscher Bundestag, Petition einreichen, epetitionen.bundestag.de, retrieved 20 September 2026
  • Justiz-Services, service.justiz.de/beratungshilfe (secondary source, search hit), retrieved 20 September 2026
As of

September 2026 · Sources and method

A question about your situation that this page does not answer? Write to us or use the contact form – we will tell you which office is responsible and what to bring. Free of charge, without individual legal advice.