SteuerGo FAQs

(2023) From when do you no longer have to pay church tax after leaving the church?

Church tax liability ends:

• at the end of the calendar month if the residence or usual place of abode in Germany has been given up.
• at the end of the month of death if the church member dies.
• when the church member declares their resignation from the church. Different authorities are responsible for the declaration of resignation in the various federal states; in most cases, it is made at the registry office, otherwise at the local court; only in the state of Bremen also at the church. Depending on the federal state, the resignation is effective from the calendar month in which it was declared, or from the following calendar month.

After resigning from the church, the registration office automatically informs the relevant tax office so that it can change the electronic wage tax deduction features (ELStAM). Therefore, no church tax will be deducted from your monthly salary after your resignation.

Cost of resigning from the church - resignation fees

In Berlin, Brandenburg and Bremen, resignation is free of charge. In other federal states, you must pay between 10 and 60 Euro for the certificate of resignation.