Austria: templates and forms

The claim letter to the airline when your flight reached its destination at least three hours late, was cancelled at short notice, or you were denied boarding: you claim compensation of €250, €400 or €600 per passenger under Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, plus costs you paid for meals and accommodation, with a payment deadline and your account. If the airline does not answer, or answers unsatisfactorily, within six weeks, Austria's Agency for Passenger Rights (apf) helps free of charge; this letter is the first step there. In German.

The written power of attorney that lets another person — the buyer of your car, for instance — act for you at an Austrian registration office run by a motor insurer: to deregister the car and hand back the Zulassungsschein and plates, with or without reserving the number, to register it in your name, or to deposit papers and plates under § 52 of the Austrian Motor Vehicles Act (KFG). With both people's details, the vehicle's chassis number and plate, and a period of validity. The same in every Land. Deregistration itself is free. In German, ready to print and sign by hand.

Your instruction to your own bank in Austria about a direct debit or a standing order: have a SEPA direct debit refunded, dispute a debit taken without a valid mandate, stop an announced debit, bar a payee's future debits or delete a standing order (Dauerauftrag). An authorised SEPA direct debit is refunded within eight weeks with no reason needed (§§ 70, 71 of the Austrian Payment Services Act, ZaDiG 2018), an unauthorised one within 13 months (§ 65 ZaDiG 2018). With payee, mandate reference, amount and date. In German.

The letter cancelling your motor liability insurance in Austria in the four most common cases: at the end of the insurance year (§ 14 Abs 2 of the Austrian Motor Liability Insurance Act, KHVG) — the anniversary of the policy's start, not necessarily 31 December, with the notice arriving a month before — after a premium increase (§ 14a KHVG), after a claim (§ 158 VersVG), and after buying a used car whose insurance passed with it (§§ 69 ff VersVG). With the policy number and plate. In German, ready to print, sign and send by registered post.

The contract for a private sale of a used car in Austria: the vehicle with its chassis number, Typenschein or data extract and next roadworthiness test under § 57a KFG (the Pickerl), price and payment, the seller's statements on mileage, accidents and known defects, the exclusion of warranty with its limits under Austria's Civil Code (ABGB), and an express choice on roadworthiness. With the date and hour of handover, deregistration under the Austrian Motor Vehicles Act (§ 43 Abs 4 KFG) and who answers a driver enquiry until then. Not for a dealer sale. In German, ready to print twice and sign.

The letter telling your motor liability insurer in Austria that you have sold your car, as § 71 of the Austrian Insurance Contract Act (VersVG) requires: with the policy number, plate, chassis number, date and hour of handover, the buyer's name and address and the day of deregistration. It asks for the premium to be settled and prepaid premium refunded to your account, or for the policy to move to a replacement car, and for a confirmation of your claims record. Austria has no notice of sale to an authority. In German, ready to print, sign and send by registered post.

The application to the registration authority (Meldebehörde) to block your address from register enquiries (§ 18(2) of Austria's Registration Act, MeldeG): without a block, anyone who knows your name and a few other details can obtain your address. The block must be granted where you show a protectable interest to be credible — stalking, violence, threats or a well-founded fear of revenge, for instance — and lasts up to five years, even after you deregister. With your reasons, evidence and any children under 18. In German, ready to print and sign.

A mutual non-disclosure agreement (NDA) for talks between businesses in Austria about a cooperation, a project, a licence or an acquisition. It rests on the protection of trade secrets in §§ 26a ff. of the Austrian Unfair Competition Act (UWG): the purpose, what counts as confidential, disclosure only to those who need it, an express ban on reverse engineering samples and prototypes, return and deletion, the term after the talks end and an optional contractual penalty. Both parties are named with their company register number. In German, ready to print and sign.

The record that seller and buyer fill in together when a sold car changes hands in Austria: date and exact hour, mileage, fuel or charge level, visible damage, whether the car is roadworthy, papers handed over — Typenschein or data extract, Zulassungsschein, the latest roadworthiness report under § 57a KFG (the Pickerl) — and keys, and whether the car is handed over deregistered or still registered. The hour matters: until deregistration the seller remains the registered keeper and receives every driver enquiry. Goes with the sale contract. In German, ready to print and sign by both.

The declaration to the seller when repair or replacement of defective goods has failed, in Austria: you claim an appropriate price reduction or termination of the sale (formerly Wandlung), giving the ground, the amount, a payment deadline and your account. Under § 12 of the Austrian Consumer Warranty Act (VGG) for consumer purchases from 2022 and § 932 of the Austrian Civil Code (ABGB). Termination is excluded for a minor defect; a price reduction remains. After termination the seller pays for the return. The rights must reach a court within three months after the warranty period ends (§ 28 VGG). In German.

The letter revoking a power of attorney — at any time and without reasons (§ 1020 of the Austrian Civil Code, ABGB) — and asking for the document back. It is also the notice to banks, authorities and other parties: anyone who, through no fault of their own, does not know the power has ended is protected (§ 1026 ABGB), so each receives a copy. It takes effect on receipt — hand it over against a signature or send it by registered post. It cannot end a registered lasting power (Vorsorgevollmacht), which ends only on entry in the ÖZVV register. In German.

A letter to your bank in Austria closing your current account (Girokonto), whether you are leaving altogether or moving to a new bank through the account-switching service. It gives the IBAN, the account holder and date of birth, the closing date and the account for the remaining balance, ends the cards, overdraft and online banking linked to the account, and asks for written confirmation. Under the Austrian Payment Services Act (§ 51 ZaDiG 2018) you may terminate at any time, on at most one month's notice, and free of charge for an open-ended account. A choice covers switching under §§ 14 ff VZKG. In German.

The withdrawal notice for an online purchase, an order by phone or catalogue, or a contract made away from the trader's premises in Austria: you withdraw within 14 days without giving reasons under § 11 of the Austrian Distance and Off-Premises Contracts Act (FAGG) and ask for your money back. The model withdrawal form in the FAGG's annex is free and works just as well; no form is prescribed, and sending in time is enough. For contracts made online from 1 October 2026 the shop must also offer a withdrawal function (§ 13a FAGG). In German, ready to sign and send.

A letter ending your household contents, personal liability or legal-expenses insurance in Austria: at the end of the insurance period or term; under § 8 Abs 3 of Austria's Insurance Contract Act (VersVG), for a contract of more than three years, on one month's notice for the end of the third and each later year; or after a claim. With policy number, type of insurance, start date, revocation of the direct debit and a request for written confirmation. Motor insurance has its own document. In German.

A letter ending a gym contract or a running subscription in Austria — a magazine, a membership, streaming or a delivery plan. You give ordinary notice for the earliest date; for a magazine or delivery plan, notice under § 15 of Austria's Consumer Protection Act (KSchG), two months before the end of the first year and then of each half-year; notice for good cause such as illness or pregnancy; or notice for the original end date where you were not reminded before an automatic renewal (§ 6 Abs 1 Z 2 KSchG). With revocation of the direct debit and a request to confirm the end date. In German.

A letter ending your mobile, landline or internet contract with a provider in Austria: with ordinary notice for the earliest date, at the end of the minimum term, or extraordinarily after a change to the terms or charges that is not solely to your benefit — then with no remaining charges for the minimum term (§ 135 of Austria's Telecommunications Act, TKG 2021). After the minimum term, at most one month's notice applies. With customer, contract and phone numbers, revocation of the direct debit and a request for written confirmation of the end date. In German.

E-Control, Austria's energy regulator, offers a free model letter for this. This document is your own objection to a price or terms change announced by your electricity or gas supplier in Austria. For electricity, households can object within four weeks of receiving the notice, free and whatever the binding period (§ 21 of Austria's Electricity Act, ElWG); the contract then ends after the statutory period, on the old terms until then. Outside a binding period you can also give two weeks' notice (§ 24 ElWG). Gas is governed by the GWG 2011. With customer number, metering point and a request to confirm the end date. In German.

The RTR, Austria's telecoms regulator, offers its own free online form for its conciliation body. This document is your written application — to send by post or email, or as ready text to paste into that form: the provider, customer and phone numbers, the facts, your objection to the provider and its answer, what you ask for and the amount disputed, with your consent to its being passed on. For disputes over bills, contracts, notices or faults in service. Once a bill objection is lodged with the RTR, the disputed amount is not due until the procedure ends (§ 145 TKG 2021). In German.

The request to Austria's tax office, the Finanzamt Österreich, to extend the deadline for an income tax, VAT or other tax return under § 134 Abs 2 of the Austrian Federal Fiscal Code (BAO): with the return, the year, the current and the requested deadline, and the reasons. It must be filed before the deadline runs out; if it is refused, the office sets a further period of at least one week. Missing the deadline without excuse risks a late-filing surcharge of up to 10% (§ 135 BAO). By post, fax or FinanzOnline: an e-mail is no submission at all (§§ 85, 86a BAO). In German.

A request to an Austrian employer for unpaid leave (Karenzierung), with the agreement both sides sign below it: the period, the reason, the return to work, the collective agreement and what applies to annual leave and special payments. There is no right to unpaid leave in Austria — it is agreed. The letter records that compulsory social insurance continues only for unpaid leave of up to one month (§ 11(3)(a) of the Austrian General Social Insurance Act, ASVG). No form is prescribed. In German, ready to print and sign.

A letter by which an employee in Austria gives the employer a concrete final deadline (Nachfrist) for pay withheld, announcing that the employee will leave early if it is not paid (§ 26 Z 2 AngG; for blue-collar workers § 82a lit d GewO 1859). Leaving over unpaid wages without such a deadline has been held unjustified, so this letter is the first step. It also meets the forfeiture deadlines of the collective agreement. With a receipt for hand delivery. In German.

An agreement on repaying training costs under § 2d of the Austrian Employment Contract Law Adaptation Act (AVRAG), in German: in writing, before the training begins and with the exact amount, as the law and the courts require, for training that gives specialist skills usable with other employers too. With a bond of at most four years (eight in special cases), a monthly pro-rata reduction, the cases in which the law excludes repayment (probation, the employer's notice, justified resignation, end of a fixed term) and the rule of § 11b AVRAG that the employer pays for training the job requires.

A termination by mutual consent of an employment in Austria (einvernehmliche Auflösung), as an agreement between employer and employee: end date, final pay and garden leave, leave and pay in lieu, statutory and voluntary severance (Abfertigung), the written reference and the return of work equipment. It asks about protection under Austria's Maternity Protection Act (MSchG) and Fathers' Parental Leave Act (VKG), which requires writing (§ 10 Abs 7 MSchG), and about the works council (§ 104a ArbVG). The AMS imposes no waiting period afterwards. Not for apprenticeships. In German.

The notice telling an Austrian employer when your parental leave (Karenz) starts and how long it lasts, under the Maternity Protection Act (§ 15 MSchG) or the Fathers' Leave Act (§ 2 VKG): child and date of birth, leave from–to, the other parent's parts. For children born from 1 November 2023, Karenz runs to the end of the 22nd month, or the 24th if shared — the document prints the rule for your child. With a receipt block. Childcare benefit (Kinderbetreuungsgeld) is claimed separately from the health insurer, usually the ÖGK. In German.