Apply for parental allowance

In Rhineland-Palatinate, the parental allowance offices of the district and city administrations are responsible.

List of parental allowance offices in Rhineland-Palatinate

Search for the parental allowance office by zip code

You can receive parental allowance if you meet the following requirements:

• You look after and bring up your child yourself.
• You have a place of residence in Germany or usually stay here.
• You live with your child in a shared household.
• You are either not employed at all or generally do not work more than 32 hours per week.
  • There are several exceptions to the limit of 32 hours per week, for example if you are on vacation or if you are studying or training.
• For births up to March 31, 2024: Your taxable income did not exceed EUR 250,000. For parents, the limit is usually EUR 300,000.
• For births after April 1, 2024: Your taxable income did not exceed EUR 200,000. This limit applies to single parents and couples.
• At birth from April 1, 2025: Your taxable income did not exceed EUR 175,000. This limit applies to single parents and couples.

• Application form
• Birth certificate of the child (in exceptional cases, another suitable document if necessary)

Further documents if necessary:

• Identity card or residence permit
• Proof of recognition or establishment of paternity
• Proof of earned income during the assessment period
• Declaration of expected earned income in the reference period
• Certificate from the health insurance fund regarding maternity benefit and certificate from the employer regarding the maternity benefit allowance
• Other proof of income during the reference period

The type and scope of the documents may vary depending on your individual situation. There may also be differences between the parental allowance offices. You should therefore check your application documents for further information. If you have any questions, you can contact your local parental allowance office.

There are no costs.

You can only apply for parental allowance after the birth.

It is best to submit the application within the first 3 months of your child's life, as parental allowance is paid retroactively for a maximum of 3 months.

You can obtain information from the relevant parental allowance office.

• §§ Sections 1 to 4d of the Parental Allowance and Parental Leave Act (Bundeselterngeld- und Elternzeitgesetz - BEEG)

• Appeal
  You can find more information on how to lodge an appeal in your parental allowance notification.
• Complaint to the social court

Application for births from 01.04.2024

Information on data protection

If you have a complaint that the parental allowance office has not been able to resolve, you can contact the relevant supervisory authority in your federal state.

Further information, a detailed brochure and the legal text of the Federal Parental Allowance and Parental Leave Act (BEEG) can be downloaded from the homepage of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs. There you will also find a parental allowance calculator which you can use to roughly calculate the amount of parental allowance you are entitled to.

• Federal Ministry for Family Affairs

• Information on parental allowance on the family portal of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ)
• Parental allowance calculator from the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ)
• Brochure "Parental allowance and parental leave" from the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ)

21.05.2024