Declaration of leaving a church or religious society (Austria)
Published byDocMuse
This document is in German
The PDF you download is in German — that is the language it has to be filed in, so it is not translated. Everything on this page is here to tell you what it says.
The written declaration for leaving a church in Austria (Kirchenaustritt), to the district authority (Bezirkshauptmannschaft) or Magistrat where you live, in Vienna the Magistratisches Bezirksamt: naming the church or religious society you are leaving, with your details and, if you wish, a request for confirmation. Leaving takes effect with the declaration to the authority, which informs the church. The declaration is free, and can also be made in person or on the form the authority provides free. From 14 you decide for yourself. In German, ready to print and sign.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Declarant
- Declarant's home address
- District authority (Bezirkshauptmannschaft) or Magistrat where you live (Vienna: the Magistratisches Bezirksamt)
- Address of the district authority or Magistrat
- City
- Date
- Church or religious society you are leaving (e.g. Roman Catholic Church)
- Parish or community of baptism or admission (if known)
- Academic degree (if any, e.g. Mag., Dr., BSc)
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- Written confirmation of leaving
- Attachments
Preview
This document is produced for you. Your answers are typed into it and the finished PDF is yours to keep.
Common questions
- How do I declare that I am leaving a church in Austria?
- At the district authority (Bezirkshauptmannschaft) or Magistrat where you live — in Vienna, the Magistratisches Bezirksamt of your district — in person or in writing: informally, as with this letter, or on the form the authority provides free; Vienna also offers an online form for it. The declaration costs nothing. For a written declaration many authorities ask for a copy of official photo ID, some for proof of membership such as a baptism certificate; ask if unsure. The authority informs the church or religious society that you have left.
- From what age can someone leave a church in Austria without their parents?
- From their 14th birthday: young people are then of religious age and decide on their own religion, without their parents' consent. For younger children the parents decide under the law on children's religious upbringing; ask the authority which declarations it then needs. This letter is meant for one's own declaration from 14.
- Do I still pay the church contribution (Kirchenbeitrag) after leaving the church in Austria?
- The Kirchenbeitrag is not a state tax but a private-law contribution that the church collects itself under its own contribution rules. Leaving takes effect with your declaration to the authority; from when no further contributions are charged, and what happens to those already assessed, depends on those rules. Keep the authority's confirmation and send a copy to the church's contribution office.
How you can sign this document
- Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
- Sign it yourself with a qualified electronic signature. If you already hold a QES — Evrotrust, B-Trust, StampIT, ZealiD or any qualified provider on the EU Trusted List, on a card, a USB token, in a mobile app or in the cloud — our signing guide explains step by step how to sign this exact file without invalidating it. Step-by-step help, and a way to check it worked
DocMuse sells documents, not legal advice. Acceptance always depends on the recipient's rules and your local law.
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