Wegweiser Society · Civil rights and participation Deutsch

🗳️ Right to vote and voting (postal vote, voting age)

Who may vote, from what age and how to vote by post. No reason needed, but there is a deadline.

election postal vote voting age voting certificate (Wahlschein) voting eligibility polling card (Wahlbenachrichtigung) federal election state election

In brief

Germans aged 18 or over may vote in the federal election (Bundestagswahl). You must have lived in Germany, or normally resided here, for at least three months.

In the 2024 European election, 16-year-olds were able to vote for the first time. In state and local elections, the voting age is also 16 in some states.

A postal vote is possible without giving a reason. You apply for a voting certificate (Wahlschein) from your municipality, in writing or in person, not by phone. The letter must arrive by 6 p.m. on election day.

Step by step

  1. Check your voting eligibilityGerman citizenship, age and residence. State rules apply to state and local elections.
  2. Read your polling cardIt arrives by post. If it did not arrive, ask your municipality early.
  3. Apply for a postal voteApply to the municipality for the voting certificate. Give your name, date of birth and address.
  4. Send the letter in good timeThe postal ballot must arrive by 6 p.m. on election day.

Deadlines

Friday before the election, 3 p.m.
Standard deadline for applying for a postal vote. Exception in case of sudden illness: until 3 p.m. on election day.Bundeswahlleiterin, postal voting
Election day, 6 p.m.
The postal ballot must have arrived by then.Bundeswahlleiterin, postal voting
3 months
Minimum period of residence or habitual abode in Germany.§ 12 BWahlG
Watch out – common mistakes
  • Applications for a postal vote by phone are not permitted.
  • Order early: the post takes time, and late letters do not count.
  • The voting age in state and local elections is a matter for the states and changes.
  • Only eligible persons may vote. Eligible voters living abroad need special conditions (§ 12 BWahlG).
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals

Active right to vote, federal level

§ 12 BWahlG: persons entitled to vote are Germans within the meaning of Art. 116 para. 1 GG who have reached the age of 18, have had a home or otherwise normally resided in Germany for at least three months and are not excluded from voting. Germans abroad can vote under further conditions (residence of at least three months after the age of 14 within the last 25 years, or personal and direct familiarity with the political situation).

Voting age by level

European election: lowered to 16 years, first applied in 2024 (Bundestag, Textarchiv 2022). State election: 16 years according to the bpb overview, not checked against each state election law, in Baden-Württemberg, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schleswig-Holstein; local election: 16 in eleven states (also according to the bpb overview, not checked against each state election law). The information may have changed.

Postal voting

Since the 2009 elections, no reason is needed for a postal vote. The application can be made in writing (also by e-mail) or in person, not by phone. Standard deadline: Friday before the election, 3 p.m. The postal ballot must be received by 6 p.m. on election day (Bundeswahlleiterin).

Who is responsible
  • Municipality (election office), for the voting certificate and polling card
  • Bundeswahlleiterin or state returning officer (Landeswahlleiter), for general information
Further reading
Petition, citizens' petition for a referendum, referendumNaturalisation and citizenship (as of 2026)

Quick questions

Worum geht es bei „Right to vote and voting (postal vote, voting age)“?
Who may vote, from what age and how to vote by post. No reason needed, but there is a deadline.
Which deadlines and figures matter?
  • Friday before the election, 3 p.m.: Standard deadline for applying for a postal vote. Exception in case of sudden illness: until 3 p.m. on election day. (Bundeswahlleiterin, postal voting)
  • Election day, 6 p.m.: The postal ballot must have arrived by then. (Bundeswahlleiterin, postal voting)
  • 3 months: Minimum period of residence or habitual abode in Germany. (§ 12 BWahlG)
What should I do first?
  • Check your voting eligibility: German citizenship, age and residence. State rules apply to state and local elections.
  • Read your polling card: It arrives by post. If it did not arrive, ask your municipality early.
  • Apply for a postal vote: Apply to the municipality for the voting certificate. Give your name, date of birth and address.
What do I need to watch out for?
  • Applications for a postal vote by phone are not permitted.
  • Order early: the post takes time, and late letters do not count.
  • The voting age in state and local elections is a matter for the states and changes.
Evidence
  • Gesetze im Internet, § 12 BWahlG, retrieved 20 September 2026
  • Bundeswahlleiterin, Glossar Briefwahl, retrieved 20 September 2026
  • Deutscher Bundestag, Textarchiv 2022/kw45 Europawahlgesetz (voting age 16), retrieved via search result 20 September 2026
  • bpb, Wahlalter ab 16 in deutschen Bundesländern (search result, secondary overview), 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.