German Tax Return Deadlines 2026 and 2027: Every Date That Matters

When does the German tax return have to reach the Finanzamt? That depends on three questions: Are you obliged to file? Is a tax advisor filing for you? Or are you filing voluntarily? Here are all dates for tax years 2022 to 2026, each with the rule behind it.

The short version

• Mandatory filing, tax year 2025: the deadline was 31 July 2026 and has passed. If you have not filed yet, act fast to keep the late surcharge small.
• With a tax advisor or Lohnsteuerhilfeverein you have until 1 March 2027 for tax year 2025.
• Mandatory filing, tax year 2026: the deadline is 2 August 2027 (31 July 2027 falls on a Saturday, so the deadline moves to the next working day).
• Voluntary returns: you have 4 years. For tax year 2022 the window closes on 31 December 2026. After that, the refund is lost.
• What counts is arrival at the Finanzamt, not the date you sent it.

All deadlines in one table

If a date falls on a weekend or public holiday, it moves to the next working day (§ 108 Abs. 3 AO). The table already shows the shifted dates.

Do I have to file at all?

Not everyone is obliged to file. The obligation arises, for example, with tax class combinations like 3/5, with more than €410 of side income or wage-replacement benefits (such as parental or short-time work benefits), with several employers at once, or when the Finanzamt asks you to file. The full list of criteria is in our guide Do I have to file a German tax return?

If none of the criteria applies, you are in voluntary territory. And there the numbers speak for filing.

Filing voluntarily: 4 years of time, over €1,000 back on average

For a voluntary return (Antragsveranlagung) you have four years after the end of the tax year. The average refund is around €1,095. Right now you can still file for 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, each year as its own return.

The hard cut-off: the return for 2022 must arrive at the Finanzamt by 31 December 2026. There is no extension, and a late voluntary return brings no refund. How retroactive filing works step by step is in our guide to the voluntary tax return.

Missed the deadline: what now?

For a mandatory return, the Finanzamt sets a late surcharge: 0.25% of the assessed tax per started month, at least €25 per month. The faster you file, the smaller the damage. After the deadline, an extension is only possible in justified exceptional cases.

For voluntary returns there is no surcharge: if you miss the four-year window, you only lose the refund.

File in minutes

With Norman you answer clear questions instead of filling out forms, in English. Norman finds the deductions, shows your expected refund live, and files via ELSTER without you needing an ELSTER account. For employees and private individuals the tax return costs €19 one-time, you pay only when you submit, and joint filing is included. If you prefer, you can do the whole return from Claude or ChatGPT.

FAQ

When is the 2025 German tax return due?

Without a tax advisor, the deadline was 31 July 2026. With an advisor or Lohnsteuerhilfeverein you have until 1 March 2027. Voluntary returns for 2025 are possible until 31 December 2029.

Until when can I still file for 2022?

Only until 31 December 2026, and only voluntarily. The return must have arrived at the Finanzamt by then. After that, the refund is gone.

What happens if I miss the deadline?

If you are obliged to file: a late surcharge of 0.25% of the tax per started month, at least €25 per month. If you file voluntarily: no surcharge, but after four years the refund is lost.

When is the 2026 tax return due?

Without an advisor on 2 August 2027 (31 July 2027 is a Saturday). With an advisor on 29 February 2028.