Skip to the navigation Skip to the content
DE EN Other languages

© EA-SH

Authorities in Schleswig-Holstein

You already know which authorities/offices or types of authorities/offices you need to contact but you still need the exact contact details? Here, you can search directly for types of authorities/agencies/offices and institutions.

  • Authorities/offices:
  • Courts:
  • Public prosecutor's offices:

Authorities/offices:

Schleswig-Holstein has 1,116 municipalities (status: 1 January 2012). Four of these municipalities – Flensburg, Kiel, Lübeck and Neumünster – are independent towns, which gives them the status of a city. They have only one local administration, which is the corresponding city administration office.

All other municipalities belong to one of the 11 counties. Tasks relating to the counties are carried out by the corresponding county administration. Administrative tasks relating to the municipalities are organized in several ways:

  • as an independent municipality with its own local or city administration office – this is the case for most larger municipalities –,
  • as an independent municipality, the administrative tasks of which are run by another municipality or an office or agency as part of an administrative partnership and as per the municipal cooperation law – as is the case in the municipalities Dahme and Ellerau, the city of Friedrichstadt, the city of Glücksburg (Ostsee), Grube, Kellenhusen (Ostsee), Reußenköge, Süsel, Tönning, Wasbek and the city of Wilster –,
  • as a municipality that belongs to a larger administrative body ("amtsangehörige Gemeinde") by the main administrative office – this is the case for most municipalities in Schleswig-Holstein –,
  • as a municipality that belongs to a larger administrative office ("amtsangehörige Gemeinde") and that carries out the administrative tasks for its office or agency by its own municipal administration – in Bosau, Büchen, Büsum, Flintbek, Fockbek, Kropp, Lensahn, Molfsee and Trittau –,
  • as a municipality that belongs to a larger administrative office ("amtsangehörige Gemeinde") by the administrative office of an independent municipality or a municipality that carries out the dealings of another authority or office, if the authority or office has agreed to an administrative partnership with that municipality – as is the case in the administrative offices of Breitenfelde, Haseldorf, Hohner Harde, Hörnerkirchen, Kappeln-Land, Landschaft Sylt, Lütau, Pellworm and Selent/Schlesen.

In Schleswig-Holstein there are a total of 144 municipal, city, and office administrations, including the independent towns. 80 municipalities are independent, the remaining 1,036 municipalities belong to one of the 85 administrative offices. Since 26 offices and independent municipalities make use of a different municipality or office to carry out their administrative tasks as per§ 19 a of the municipal cooperation law, the number of actual administrations is accordingly lower than the sum of all administrative offices and independent municipalities.

You can download a current list of all administrations of the municipalities and administrative offices from the German Ministry of the Interior. The German regional authorities for measurement and geo-information of Schleswig-Holstein (Landesamt für Vermessung und Geoinformation Schleswig-Holstein) offer an overall map at a scale of 1:250,000 that can also be ordered from local bookshops (title: "Amts- und Gemeindegrenzen von Schleswig-Holstein" (Boundaries of administrative offices and municipalities in Schleswig-Holstein)). The current population figures of the municipalities, counties and administrative offices are based on the statistical reports of the statistical office for Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein (title: "Bevölkerung der Gemeinden in Schleswig-Holstein" (Population of the municipalities of Schleswig-Holstein). The reports also include an address directory of the townships for commercial users.

 

Download

More information

Regional authorities for measurement and geo-information

Statistical office for Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein

You can find a list of all regional authorities in Schleswig-Holstein on the web pages of the federal state government.

to the regional offices on the web pages of the federal government (only in German language)

 

The web portal of the Federal Office of Administration offers an overview of all authorities and institutions of the federal government and all chambers and associations at federal level.

To access the web portal of the Federal Office of Administration please click on the following link.

to the web portal of the Federal Office of Administration (only in German language)

 

Fiscal authorities or tax offices

On the following linked homepage of the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein you will find information, contact details and responsibilities concerning the tax offices in Schleswig-Holstein.

to the homepage of Schleswig-Holstein (overview tax offices), available only in German language

 

The Chambers in Schleswig-Holstein offer various consulting services for businesses.

For example, if you

  • are looking for statistical information on the competitive environment of a market segment,
  • want to have your business plan checked for sustainability,
  • need economic advice,
  • look for information on your rights and obligations as entrepreneur,
  • want to offer training opportunities in your business,

the Chambers offer you support.

The Chambers of Trades and Crafts are partners for craft businesses, the Chambers of Commerce and Industry are partners for non-craft businesses in Schleswig-Holstein. There are more Chambers for the different fields of economic activity.

see the overview map with the chambers (of commerce and industry / of crafts) located in Schleswig-Holstein

 

The German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) provides an overview of all Employer's Liability Insurance Associations and Accident Insurances in its online services.

To access the web portal of the DGUV, please click on the following link.

to the web portal of the DGUV (only in German language)

 

If you have any questions concerning your pension, please contact the service line or visit the web page of Deutsche Rentenversicherung, the German state-run pension insurance provider.

To access the online services of Deutsche Rentenversicherung please click on the following link.

to the online services of Deutsche Rentenversicherung

 

The local employment agencies in Schleswig-Holstein offer assistance in all topics relating to entrepreneurship and employees. As an entrepreneur, you can find information if you:

  • are looking for personnel
  • want to hire trainees
  • are unemployed and want to start a business
  • want to apply for other types of subsidies, e.g. reduced hours compensation or similar
  • and much more

Please go to the web portal of the German Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) for more information on the services of the employment agencies in Schleswig-Holstein.

to the web portal of the Federal Employment Agency

 

Courts:

The local court of Kiel is the largest in Schleswig-Holstein. It is responsible for civil law, family law and criminal cases.

to the local court of Kiel (only in German language)

 

The local court of Lübeck is one of 22 local courts in Schleswig-Holstein. It is responsible for civil cases, family law, criminal cases, land registration matters, register-related matters, care/guardianship-related matters, inheritance cases and matters of enforcement.

to the local court of Lübeck (only in German language)

 

The regional court is the court of first instance for, e.g., grave criminal matters and civil matters where property disputes are concerned. It is also the court of second instance for appeals and complaints regarding decisions of the local courts of its district.
 

to the regional court of Flensburg

Regional courts in the district of the local court of Flensburg:

Note: The linked websites are only available in German language.

The regional court is the court of first instance for, e.g., grave criminal matters and civil matters where property disputes are concerned. It is also the court of second instance for appeals and complaints regarding decisions of the local courts of its district.

to the regional court of Itzehoe

Local courts in the district of the regional court of Itzehoe:

Note: The linked websites are only available in German language.

The regional court is the court of first instance for, e.g., grave criminal matters and civil matters where property disputes are concerned. It is also the court of second instance for appeals and complaints regarding decisions of the local courts of its district.

to the regional court of Kiel

Local courts in the district of the regional court of Kiel:

Note: The linked websites are only available in German language.

The regional court is the court of first instance for, e.g., grave criminal matters and civil matters where property disputes are concerned. It is also the court of second instance for appeals and complaints regarding decisions of the local courts of its district.

to the regional court of Lübeck

Local courts in the district of the regional court of Lübeck:

Note: The linked websites are only available in German language.

The state labour court is responsible for, e.g., appeals and complaints against decisions and rulings of the labour courts. The labour courts are exclusively responsible for all legal disputes between employees and employers in an employment relationship.

to the state labour court of Schleswig-Holstein

Labour courts in Schleswig-Holstein:

Note: The linked websites are only available in German language.

The fiscal court of Schleswig-Holstein is a higher regional court and (like the fiscal courts in the other German states) a specialised court. The main area of responsibility of the fiscal court of Schleswig-Holstein is the lawfulness of tax statements and child benefit statements.

to the fiscal court of Schleswig-Holstein (only in German language)

 

The higher social court is the court of second instance for all of Schleswig-Holstein. In the twelve senates of the court, 18 regular judges and honorary judges participate in the rulings.

to the higher social court of Schleswig-Holstein

Social courts in Schleswig-Holstein:

Note: The linked websites are only available in German language.

The state constitutional court has both court status and the status of a constitutional body. It is organised as a court with independent judges elected by the German parliament who make decisions or rulings, in orderly judicial proceedings, on how to interpret constitutional standards.

to the state constitutional court (only in German language)

 

The higher regional court of Schleswig-Holstein is the highest court of the state of Schleswig-Holstein in civil and criminal cases. Germany's courts are organised in a four-tier system under the Federal Court of Justice.

to the higher regional court of Schleswig-Holstein (only in German language)

 

The higher administrative court is responsible for appeals and complaints regarding decisions of the administrative court. It is the court of first instance for disputes regarding specific major projects (relating to the Atomic Energy Act, power plants, airports, large waste incineration plants, major plan approval procedures or similar).

to the higher administrative court of Schleswig-Holstein (only in German language)

 

The administrative court is generally the court of first instance for administrative disputes and for the entire region of the state of Schleswig-Holstein.

to the administrative court of Schleswig-Holstein (only in German language)

 

Public prosecutor's offices:

The public prosecutor's office is the authority for criminal prosecution and enforcement. It leads the preliminary investigation proceedings and is responsible for the legality and regularity of the proceedings and to make sure that the investigation is carried out thoroughly and quickly.

to the public prosecutor's office of the higher regional court of Schleswig-Holstein

Other public prosecutor's offices in Schleswig-Holstein:

Note: The linked websites are only available in German language.

Our partners