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Mahnbescheid (gerichtlicher Zahlungsbefehl)

Mahnbescheid (court payment order): you have 2 weeks to object

From: A court (Mahngericht), on application of a creditor or a collection agency

A Mahnbescheid is an official letter from a court, delivered with proof of delivery. A creditor applied for it. The court does not check if the claim is right, so you must check it yourself. The deadline is short.

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Why you got this letter

What to do

  1. 1Write down the day the letter was delivered to you and keep the envelope. You have two weeks from delivery.
  2. 2Read who claims what, the interest, and the costs.
  3. 3If you owe the money, pay or arrange payment with the creditor. The Verbraucherzentrale says that once paid, the procedure ends.
  4. 4If you do not agree, file a Widerspruch with the court. Use the form that comes with the notice. You can object to the whole claim or only to a part.
  5. 5Check interest and costs. The main claim may be right while the interest or fees are not.
  6. 6If you are unsure, get advice quickly, for example from a Verbraucherzentrale.

Deadline

Two weeks from delivery (Zustellung) of the Mahnbescheid.

If you do nothing

If you do not object, the creditor can ask for a Vollstreckungsbescheid. It has the same effect as a default judgment, and the creditor can use it to enforce the claim. You then have two weeks to file an Einspruch. After that you can hardly defend yourself, even if the claim is too high. The Verbraucherzentrale says this is your last chance to stop a visit by a bailiff (Gerichtsvollzieher).

Can you object?

Yes. File a Widerspruch with the court that issued the Mahnbescheid, in writing. The two-week deadline starts at delivery. By law you can still object after two weeks, as long as the Vollstreckungsbescheid has not been issued. Do it as fast as you can. A late objection is treated as an Einspruch (§ 694 ZPO). Against a Vollstreckungsbescheid, the Einspruch period is two weeks from delivery. If delivery has to be made abroad, it is one month (§ 339 ZPO). If you missed a deadline for a good reason, such as serious illness, you can ask for Wiedereinsetzung in den vorigen Stand, quickly and with proof.

Words in this letter

Mahnbescheid
A court payment order. The court does not check the claim.
Widerspruch
Your objection to the Mahnbescheid.
Vollstreckungsbescheid
An enforcement order that follows if you do not object in time.
Einspruch
Your objection to a Vollstreckungsbescheid.
Zustellung
Official delivery. The deadline starts on this day.
Gerichtsvollzieher
A bailiff who carries out enforcement.

Example reply

Back-up letter if you must object in writing. Use the court's official form if you have it.

[Vor- und Nachname]
[Anschrift]

An: [Mahngericht, Adresse laut Mahnbescheid]

[Ort], [Datum]

Betreff: Widerspruch gegen den Mahnbescheid vom [Datum], Geschäftszeichen [Geschäftszeichen], Antragsteller: [Name des Antragstellers]

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

hiermit lege ich Widerspruch gegen den oben genannten Mahnbescheid ein. Ich widerspreche [dem gesamten Anspruch / dem Anspruch nur teilweise, nämlich in Höhe von [Betrag] Euro].

Der Mahnbescheid wurde mir am [Datum der Zustellung] zugestellt.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen
[Unterschrift]
[Vor- und Nachname]
Show English translation
[Full name]
[Address]

To: [Mahngericht, address as on the Mahnbescheid]

[Place], [date]

Subject: Objection to the payment order dated [date], case number [number], applicant: [applicant's name]

Dear Sir or Madam,

I hereby object to the payment order named above. I object [to the whole claim / to the claim only in part, namely in the amount of [amount] euros].

The payment order was delivered to me on [date of delivery].

Kind regards
[Signature]
[Full name]
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Questions people ask

Is a Mahnbescheid proof that I owe the money?

No. The court does not check whether the claim is justified. The notice itself says this. If you do not object in time, the creditor can get an enforcement order, so you must check the claim yourself.

Does objecting cost me money?

The objection itself is the way to stop the order. If the dispute goes to a normal lawsuit, court and lawyer costs rise, and the losing side pays them. The Verbraucherzentrale advises to get advice before a trial.

What if I miss the two weeks?

Object anyway, now. By law you can object as long as the Vollstreckungsbescheid has not been issued. After that, you have a further two weeks for an Einspruch.

What if I am abroad?

If the enforcement order must be delivered abroad, the Einspruch period is one month (§ 339 Abs. 2 ZPO). Check the dates on your documents or ask a counselling service.

Sources

Updated 2026-10-20. This page explains a common type of letter; it is not legal advice. Your letter may differ, so check its dates and amounts.