World · Germany · Questions

German federal law and case law

The Federal Ministry of Justice publishes almost all current federal laws and regulations free of charge on Gesetze im Internet, in consolidated form. The official versions are published in the Federal Law Gazette (Bundesgesetzblatt), now online at recht.bund.de. Decisions of the federal courts are published on Rechtsprechung im Internet.

What it publishes

• Consolidated federal laws and regulations, searchable by abbreviation (for example EStG, BGB).
• The Federal Law Gazette, the official publication of new federal laws.
• Selected decisions of the Federal Constitutional Court and federal supreme courts since 2010.
• English translations of some major laws.

Key datasets

• Gesetze im Internet: latest updates
  List of recently updated laws and regulations.
  Updated: Continuous
• Federal Law Gazette
  Official electronic Federal Law Gazette.
  Updated: As laws are promulgated
• Rechtsprechung im Internet
  Decisions of the federal courts.
  Updated: Continuous
• Income Tax Act section 32a (example)
  An example of a single provision page, here the income tax scale.
  Updated: Updated when amended

APIs and downloads

• Gesetze im Internet XML
  Each law can be downloaded as XML, PDF or EPUB from its page.

When it publishes

Laws enter into force on the date they set, after publication in the Federal Law Gazette; Gesetze im Internet is updated after publication.

How to use it to check a claim

1. The consolidated text on Gesetze im Internet is not the legally binding version; the Federal Law Gazette is.
2. Check the date a change applies from: tax rules often apply from a tax year.
3. Distinguish federal law from Land law, which is published by each state.

Common mistakes

• Citing an English translation as authoritative.
• Missing transitional provisions that delay a rule's effect.

Is German law free to read online?

Yes. Federal laws, the Federal Law Gazette and federal court decisions are free on the government sites listed here.

How do I make a freedom of information request in Germany?

Under the federal Freedom of Information Act (IFG), anyone can ask a federal authority for official information, normally answered within a month. Complaints go to the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information. States have their own laws.

Questions answered using this source

• What are the income tax rates in Germany?
• What is the minimum wage in Germany?

Links checked 14 October 2026. This page describes what the source publishes and gives no verdict on any claim.