You've received a Mahnbescheid: what to do now
A Mahnbescheid comes from a court — but the court never checks whether the claim is valid. What to do now, which deadline applies, and when you can still object.
You've received a Mahnbescheid and you're wondering what to do? This article is for you.
First, some context. A Mahnbescheid (court order for payment) is an official letter from a court. What matters is that when the court issues one, it does not check whether the claim is justified. It only checks that the application was filed correctly. From the day it is served, you generally have two weeks to pay or to file an objection.
The steps that matter
- Open the letter and note the date it was served (
Zustellungsdatum). - Check the claim in full. Who is asking for money? And why?
- If the claim is wrong, file an objection (
Widerspruch) in time. The form comes with the Mahnbescheid. - If the claim is correct, pay it or ask the creditor for an instalment agreement (
Ratenzahlungsvereinbarung).
Important: if you do nothing at all, an enforcement order (Vollstreckungsbescheid) can follow — and with it, enforcement against your income or accounts.
The two-week deadline is not the end
This is widely misunderstood, and it's the most important point on this page.
The two weeks from service are set out in law (§ 692 ZPO). That is the window in which you're expected to pay or object. But an objection is still possible after that, as long as the Vollstreckungsbescheid has not yet been issued (§ 694 ZPO). A late objection is then treated as an Einspruch.
So if you only open the letter on day 16, nothing is lost yet. Don't wait, though — once the Vollstreckungsbescheid has been issued, things get considerably harder and more expensive.
What a Mahnbescheid actually is
A Mahnbescheid is part of a court dunning procedure (Mahnverfahren). It happens when a company or a private individual tells the court that you still owe money.
The letter normally contains:
- the name of the applicant
- the reason for the claim
- details of the original principal claim, if the debt has since been passed to a collection agency
- any interest
- additional costs
- the total amount claimed
Mahnbescheid, Mahnung or Inkassobrief?
These three get confused often, and the difference decides how urgently you need to act.
| Comes from | From a court? | If you don't respond | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahnung | the creditor | no | more reminders, possibly a collection agency |
| Inkassobrief | a collection agency | no | possibly a court dunning procedure |
| Mahnbescheid | the court | yes | enforcement order, then enforcement |
A Mahnung is an out-of-court request to settle an outstanding claim. It can come directly from the creditor or from someone acting for them. An Inkassobrief comes from a collection agency that has been instructed to collect the debt.
A Mahnbescheid, by contrast, comes from a court. You can tell by the court case number on it.
Even if you've already had several letters: by the time a Mahnbescheid arrives, you need to respond.
This article is general information, not legal advice. For questions about your own case, contact a debt advice service (Schuldnerberatung) or a lawyer.
