💶 Fees and costs
In brief
An objection costs different amounts depending on the area of law. If it succeeds, the authority must reimburse your necessary costs.
The fee for an unsuccessful objection is governed by state law: Bavaria Art. 9 KG (on rejection 1.5 times the fee for the official act; for levies up to half the amount in dispute, at least 10 euros); NRW only if the original notice was subject to a fee, at most half (GebG NRW, AVerwGebO NRW); Berlin GebBeitrG in conjunction with VerwGebO (all not checked in full text).
Lawyer's costs in the objection procedure are reimbursed if the lawyer was necessary.
Proceedings before the social court are free of charge for insured persons, benefit recipients and people with disabilities. Data access under the DSGVO is in principle free of charge.
Step by step
- Clarify the cost riskAsk about fees in the instructions or at the authority.
- Apply for reimbursementAfter a successful objection, apply for a determination of costs.
- Consider helpLegal advice assistance (Beratungshilfe) or legal aid (Prozesskostenhilfe) if your income is low.
- Collect receiptsKeep receipts and invoices.
Deadlines
- Court fees in administrative court proceedings and administrative fees: amounts not checked here.
- § 80 Abs. 1 VwVfG governs only reimbursement where an objection succeeds. The fee for an unsuccessful objection follows from state fee law, and for federal authorities from the BGebG (not checked in full text).
- Costs caused by your own fault you bear yourself.
- Copies from the file can trigger a reimbursement of costs (§ 25 Abs. 5 SGB X).
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals
Objection procedure
§ 80 Abs. 1 VwVfG (federal; Länder: Art. 80 BayVwVfG, § 80 VwVfG NRW, Berlin in conjunction with VwVfG Bln): To the extent the objection succeeds, the public body of the authority that issued the contested administrative act must reimburse the objector for the expenses necessary for appropriate pursuit of their rights; expenses caused by the fault of a person entitled to reimbursement are borne by that person. § 80 Abs. 2: Fees and expenses of a lawyer or other authorised representative in the preliminary procedure are reimbursable if engaging them was necessary. § 63 SGB X corresponds to this in social law; on application the authority determines the amount of reimbursement and decides whether engaging a representative was necessary.
Fee in the objection procedure (state law)
Bavaria Art. 9 KG: on rejection 1.5 times the fee for the official act, for levies up to half the amount in dispute, at least 10 euros. NRW: only if the original notice was subject to a fee, at most half (GebG NRW, AVerwGebO NRW). Berlin: GebBeitrG in conjunction with VerwGebO. All not checked in full text.
Court proceedings
§ 183 SGG: free of charge for insured persons, benefit recipients and disabled people (not for proceedings concerning excessively long court proceedings). Court cost law applies to administrative court proceedings; amounts were not checked.
IFG and DSGVO
Federal IFG: § 10, IFGGebV; oral and simple written information free of charge, maximum amount 500 euros. These rates apply only to federal authorities; the Länder have their own rules (NRW its own VerwGebO, minimum fee from 10 euros; Berlin its own rules; not checked in full text). DSGVO: Art. 12 Abs. 5.
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