GermanyCan I Sue a Government Agency in German Small Claims Court?
No — government agencies (as public authorities) are generally excluded from the Mahnverfahren and Amtsgericht small claims jurisdiction under § 23 ZPO.
What the Law Says
German small claims procedures — primarily the Mahnverfahren (dunning procedure) and simplified oral hearings before the Amtsgericht — apply only to private law disputes between individuals or companies.
Under § 23 of the Zivilprozessordnung (ZPO), the Amtsgericht has jurisdiction for civil claims up to €5,000 — but only if the matter falls within *civil* (i.e., private) law. Disputes involving government agencies acting in their official capacity (e.g., tax assessments, building permits, social welfare decisions) are governed by public law and fall outside ZPO jurisdiction.
The Federal Administrative Court Act (Verwaltungsgerichtsordnung – VwGO) governs such cases. § 40 VwGO explicitly states that administrative courts have exclusive jurisdiction over lawsuits against public authorities concerning their official acts — excluding them from civil courts entirely.
Statutory TextDie Zuständigkeit der Verwaltungsgerichte umfasst alle Rechtsstreitigkeiten aus der öffentlichen Gewalt.
— VwGO, § 40(1)
Statutory TextDas Amtsgericht ist zuständig für vermögensrechtliche Streitigkeiten bis zu 5.000 Euro, soweit nicht andere Gerichte zuständig sind.
— ZPO, § 23(1)
What to Do
Determine whether your dispute arises from an official administrative act (e.g., denial of benefits, fine issuance, planning decision) — if yes, it’s a public law matter.
File a complaint (Widerspruch) with the agency first, where legally required (e.g., § 68 VwGO), before proceeding to court.
Submit your claim to the competent Verwaltungsgericht (Administrative Court), not the Amtsgericht — typically the one in the agency’s district.
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Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-10-05.