Family & children
How to fill out the Elterngeld application
Antrag auf Elterngeld
With the Elterngeld application, mothers and fathers apply for parental allowance (Elterngeld) for the first months of their child's life. The form differs by federal state (Bundesland); you apply at the Elterngeld office (Elterngeldstelle) of your state or district.
Official form from the Elterngeld office of your federal state; each state has its own formGerman information checked on 25 September 2026
Explanation only – the form must be submitted in German. German authorities work in German, so you fill in and hand in the German form. This page explains what each field means so you can do that correctly. Names, numbers and addresses stay as in your documents.
This English page is still being reviewed. It follows the fact-checked German page; a second person who reads English has not checked the translation yet. If in doubt, the German page and the official sources count.
No legal or tax advice. This page explains the form in general and does not replace advice on your individual case. Whether you are entitled to a benefit, or which answer is right for you, please ask the responsible authority, an advice centre (for example a migration advice service) or a lawyer.
Free to start. The assistant explains every field in English; the form is filled in in German.
This page in:Deutsch
At a glance
- Who needs it?
- Parents who look after their child themselves after the birth and want to receive Elterngeld (Basiselterngeld, ElterngeldPlus, Partnerschaftsbonus).
- Where to submit
- At the Elterngeld office responsible for where you live (depending on the state, e.g. the district office/youth welfare office, the ZBFS in Bavaria, the L-Bank in Baden-Württemberg).
- Deadline
- There is no cut-off date, but Elterngeld is paid back only for the last three months of the child's life before the month your application arrives (§ 7 (1) BEEG). Apply within the child's first three months.
- Length
- 23 pages, 545 fields detected
- Online alternative
- The authority also offers an online application (German).
What you need
- The birth certificate or birth certificate “für Elterngeld” (for multiple births, one per child)
- Proof of income: payslips for the 12 months before the month maternity protection began (mother) or before the birth (father)
- Proof of maternity benefit (certificate from the health insurance fund) and of the employer's top-up to maternity benefit
- If you work part-time while receiving Elterngeld: a certificate from your employer about your working hours
- Depending on your case, further proof (e.g. the tax assessment if you are self-employed)
Field guide: section by section
About the child
Angaben zum Kind
The child's (or children's) name and birth details.
| On the form (German) | What it means |
|---|---|
| Vorname(n) | The child's first name(s), as on the birth certificate. |
| Nachname | The child's surname. |
| Geburtsdatum | The child's date of birth (DD.MM.YYYY). |
Tips
- For twins or other multiple births, give all children.
About the parents
Angaben zu den Eltern
Personal details of the applicant(s), marital status and residence.
| On the form (German) | What it means |
|---|---|
| Name, Vorname | Surname and first name(s) of each applying parent. |
| Geburtsdatum | Date of birth (DD.MM.YYYY). |
| Anschrift | Your address in Germany. |
| Steuer-ID | Your tax ID (Steuer-ID), 11 digits – from the letter of the Federal Central Tax Office or your payslip. |
| Familienstand | Marital status, e.g. verheiratet (married), ledig (single), geschieden (divorced). |
Benefit period
Bezugszeitraum
In which months of the child's life each parent wants Basiselterngeld, ElterngeldPlus or the Partnerschaftsbonus.
| On the form (German) | What it means |
|---|---|
| Lebensmonate je Elternteil | Which months of the child's life (Lebensmonate, counted from the birth date) each parent claims. |
| Art des Elterngelds je Monat | For each month, which type: Basiselterngeld (basic), ElterngeldPlus or Partnerschaftsbonus (partnership bonus). |
Tips
- Plan the months together before filling in the form.
Income before and after the birth
Einkommen vor und nach der Geburt
Income in the assessment period and, if any, income while receiving Elterngeld.
| On the form (German) | What it means |
|---|---|
| Einkommen aus nichtselbstständiger Arbeit | Income from employment (salary or wages). |
| Einkommen aus selbstständiger Arbeit | Income from self-employment or freelancing. |
| Mutterschaftsleistungen | Maternity benefits, e.g. Mutterschaftsgeld and the employer's top-up. |
| Einkommen während des Bezugs | Income you expect while receiving Elterngeld, e.g. from part-time work. |
Tips
- For births from 1 April 2025, there is no Elterngeld if taxable income exceeds 175,000 euros (couples, single parents and separated parents).
Bank account, declarations and signature
Bankverbindung, Erklärungen und Unterschrift
The account for the payment, declarations that your details are correct, and the signature(s).
| On the form (German) | What it means |
|---|---|
| IBAN | The IBAN of the account for the payment. |
| Kontoinhaber | The account holder's name. |
| Datum | The date you sign. |
| Unterschrift(en) | Your signature – both parents sign a joint application. |
Tips
- For a joint application, both parents sign.
23 pages, 545 fields detected · Alle Felder mit Beispielwerten (Deutsch)
Sample: a filled-in form
Common mistakes
- Applying too late – no more than three months of the child's life are paid back.
- Using the wrong state's form, or in Berlin the version for births before 1 April 2025 instead of the new version.
- Not attaching the birth certificate “für Elterngeld”.
- Incomplete proof of income (not all 12 months of the assessment period).
- The parents did not agree on the months, or the second parent's signature is missing.
Where and when to submit
- Where to submit
- At the Elterngeld office responsible for where you live (depending on the state, e.g. the district office/youth welfare office, the ZBFS in Bavaria, the L-Bank in Baden-Württemberg).
- How
- In writing (signed form by post) or digitally where the state offers it – e.g. via mein-elterngeldantrag.de, which replaces ElterngeldDigital.
- Deadline
- There is no cut-off date, but Elterngeld is paid back only for the last three months of the child's life before the month your application arrives (§ 7 (1) BEEG). Apply within the child's first three months.
Ausfüllpilot does not send anything to authorities. After filling in, you download the German PDF and submit it yourself.
Frequently asked questions
By when do I have to apply for Elterngeld?
There is no cut-off date, but Elterngeld is paid back only for the last three months of the child's life before the month your application arrives. Apply within the first three months after the birth if you can.
Source: § 7 BEEG – Antragstellung · Familienportal des Bundes – Wie kann ich Elterngeld beantragen?
Is there one form for all of Germany?
No. Elterngeld is paid by the federal states, and each state has its own application documents. Use the form of the Elterngeld office responsible for you.
Source: Familienportal des Bundes – Wie kann ich Elterngeld beantragen?
Can I apply for Elterngeld online?
In many states, yes. New applications can no longer be started in ElterngeldDigital; they now go through mein-elterngeldantrag.de. Which features (e.g. uploads, fully electronic submission) are available depends on the state.
Source: Familienportal des Bundes – Wie kann ich Elterngeld beantragen? · mein-elterngeldantrag.de
Is there an income limit?
For births from 1 April 2025, there is no Elterngeld if taxable annual income exceeds 175,000 euros – for couples, single parents and separated parents. That is why Berlin has separate application versions for births before and from that date.
Source: Service Berlin – Elterngeld beantragen · Senatsverwaltung Berlin – Elterngeld und Elternzeit
Which documents do I need?
Usually the birth certificate for Elterngeld, proof of income from the assessment period and proof of maternity benefits. Depending on your case, the Elterngeld office may ask for more.
Source: Service Berlin – Elterngeld beantragen · ZBFS Bayern – Häufige Fragen Elterngeld: Voraussetzungen und Antrag
Can I fill in the application in English?
No. German is the official language in social benefit procedures (§ 19 SGB X), so the Elterngeld office needs the form in German. This page only explains it. With Ausfüllpilot you can answer in English and the AI enters German text – check every entry before you sign.
Source: § 19 SGB X – Amtssprache (Sozialgesetzbuch X) (not yet confirmed)
Sources
- Familienportal des Bundes – Wie kann ich Elterngeld beantragen? – researched 25 September 2026
- § 7 BEEG – Antragstellung – researched 25 September 2026
- Service Berlin – Elterngeld beantragen – researched 25 September 2026
- Berlin, Bezirksamt Pankow – Elterngeldantrag Hauptantrag, Antragsversion April 2025 (PDF) – researched 25 September 2026
- Senatsverwaltung Berlin – Elterngeld und Elternzeit – researched 25 September 2026
- ZBFS Bayern – Elterngeld-Antragsunterlagen 05/2025 (PDF) – researched 25 September 2026
- ZBFS Bayern – Häufige Fragen Elterngeld: Voraussetzungen und Antrag – researched 25 September 2026
- L-Bank Baden-Württemberg – Elterngeld-Antragsformular für Geburten/Adoptionen ab 01.05.2025 – researched 25 September 2026
- mein-elterngeldantrag.de – researched 25 September 2026
- § 19 SGB X – Amtssprache (Sozialgesetzbuch X) (not yet confirmed)
Ausfüllpilot is an independent service, not an offer of the authority that issues the form. We give no legal or tax advice. Values suggested by the AI are marked – please check all entries before you submit the form. KI
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