Religion in Germany: Church Tax and Leaving the Church

When you register your address (Anmeldung), the office asks for your religion. That answer can put church tax (Kirchensteuer) on your payslip. If you name Roman Catholic, Protestant (evangelisch), or a recognized Jewish community, the tax is usually 8% to 9% of your income tax, depending on the state. Plenty of people only notice it after the first paycheck.

You can say you have no religion. If you are already registered with a church, you can leave later through an official process. Freedom of religion is protected, and cities have Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and other communities. What usually matters for money is what you say at registration, and whether you later leave a church officially. Address registration (Anmeldung) covers the appointment itself.

How to avoid or stop church tax

If you do not belong to a church that collects this tax, say keine or ohne (no religion / without) at registration. That is the usual way to stay off the church-tax list.

If you are already registered and want the deduction to stop, you must formally leave the church (Kirchenaustritt). You do that at a civil registry office or a court, depending on the state. Saying you no longer attend is not enough. The tax keeps running until the formal exit is recorded. How deductions show on a payslip is covered in Taxes in Germany.

Islam and most other faiths do not use church tax. Mosques and similar communities are usually funded by donations. Recognized Jewish communities can collect a community contribution for registered members, in a similar way to church tax.

Finding a place to practice

Christian. The Roman Catholic Church is strongest in much of southern Germany, including Bavaria and parts of the Rhineland. Regional Protestant churches (Evangelische Kirche) are more common in the north and east. Many cities also have Orthodox congregations (Greek, Russian, Serbian, and others). International Protestant and Catholic groups often hold services in English. Search “English church” plus your city.

Churches run many hospitals, schools, kindergartens, and social services. Those institutions often receive public funding, so church tax is only part of how they are paid for.

Muslim. Most cities have mosques. Larger umbrella groups include DITIB (linked to Turkey’s state religious authority) and IGMG. Some of these groups are politically contested, and many Muslims attend independent mosques instead. Halal food is easy to find in urban areas, and Turkish and Middle Eastern grocers are common.

Jewish. Jewish communities (Jüdische Gemeinde) maintain synagogues and community life in Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, and other cities. Recognized communities can be public-law corporations. Synagogues and Jewish schools often have visible security. Police protection and public funding for that security are normal federal and state policy. Germany also maintains memorials, museums, and education programs on Jewish history.

In larger cities you can also find Buddhist centres, Hindu temples, Sikh Gurdwaras, and Baha’i communities. Search your faith plus your city name to find the nearest group.

Holidays, time off, and church employers

Most public holidays (Feiertage) follow the Christian calendar: Christmas, Easter, Ascension, Whit Monday. The exact list varies by state. Bavaria and some others add extra Catholic days. The calendar is in Public Holidays in Germany.

Other religions do not have matching nationwide public holidays. Some states and cities give school or local recognition to Muslim observances (for example Eid notes in Berlin school calendars). Employers are generally expected to allow reasonable time off for religious observance when they can.

Discrimination based on religion is prohibited under the Equal Treatment Act (Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz, AGG). Church-run employers (hospitals, schools, kindergartens, care homes) may still prefer members of their own church when hiring. If you work for a church institution, leaving the church can, in some cases, affect the job under internal church rules. Check your contract and the employer’s published hiring criteria.

Useful links

• Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency: religion and belief
• Anti-Discrimination Agency: advice outside the AGG

Related pitfalls

Common mistakes to avoid

Short warnings linked to this guide. Each item highlights a costly or legal slip newcomers often make.

1. Declaring the wrong religion at address registration

   Medium

   Opting into church tax out of habit reduces net income by 8-9% of income tax liability, typically costing hundreds to over a thousand euros annually depending on salary.

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