Tax deadlines

German tax deadlines 2026

When your tax return and VAT returns are due — the statutory dates for people who file for themselves.

Calendar year the deadline falls in

January 2026

Due on	Filing	Period	Applies to	Deadline
January 12, 2026	USt-Voranmeldung (monatlich)	December 2025	Freelancer, Startup / SMB, and Enterprise	274 days ago
January 12, 2026	USt-Voranmeldung (vierteljährlich)	Q4 2025	Freelancer and Startup / SMB	274 days ago

Due on	Filing	Period	Applies to	Deadline
February 10, 2026	USt-Voranmeldung (monatlich)	January 2026	Freelancer, Startup / SMB, and Enterprise	245 days ago

Due on	Filing	Period	Applies to	Deadline
March 10, 2026	USt-Voranmeldung (monatlich)	February 2026	Freelancer, Startup / SMB, and Enterprise	217 days ago

Due on	Filing	Period	Applies to	Deadline
April 10, 2026	USt-Voranmeldung (monatlich)	March 2026	Freelancer, Startup / SMB, and Enterprise	186 days ago
April 10, 2026	USt-Voranmeldung (vierteljährlich)	Q1 2026	Freelancer and Startup / SMB	186 days ago

Due on	Filing	Period	Applies to	Deadline
May 11, 2026	USt-Voranmeldung (monatlich)	April 2026	Freelancer, Startup / SMB, and Enterprise	155 days ago

Due on	Filing	Period	Applies to	Deadline
June 10, 2026	USt-Voranmeldung (monatlich)	May 2026	Freelancer, Startup / SMB, and Enterprise	125 days ago

Due on	Filing	Period	Applies to	Deadline
July 10, 2026	USt-Voranmeldung (monatlich)	June 2026	Freelancer, Startup / SMB, and Enterprise	95 days ago
July 10, 2026	USt-Voranmeldung (vierteljährlich)	Q2 2026	Freelancer and Startup / SMB	95 days ago
July 31, 2026	Einkommensteuererklärung (Selbsterklärung) *	2025	Individual, International, and Freelancer	74 days ago

Due on	Filing	Period	Applies to	Deadline
August 10, 2026	USt-Voranmeldung (monatlich)	July 2026	Freelancer, Startup / SMB, and Enterprise	64 days ago

Due on	Filing	Period	Applies to	Deadline
September 10, 2026	USt-Voranmeldung (monatlich)	August 2026	Freelancer, Startup / SMB, and Enterprise	33 days ago

Due on	Filing	Period	Applies to	Deadline
October 12, 2026	USt-Voranmeldung (monatlich)	September 2026	Freelancer, Startup / SMB, and Enterprise	1 day ago
October 12, 2026	USt-Voranmeldung (vierteljährlich)	Q3 2026	Freelancer and Startup / SMB	1 day ago

Due on	Filing	Period	Applies to	Deadline
November 10, 2026	USt-Voranmeldung (monatlich)	October 2026	Freelancer, Startup / SMB, and Enterprise	in 28 days

Due on	Filing	Period	Applies to	Deadline
December 10, 2026	USt-Voranmeldung (monatlich)	November 2026	Freelancer, Startup / SMB, and Enterprise	in 58 days

For these returns the deadline depends on who files. File it yourself and § 149 Abs. 2 AO applies; where a Steuerberater prepares it, § 149 Abs. 3 AO gives longer. Every other date in the table is the same either way.
A date falling on a weekend or a nationwide public holiday moves to the next working day (§ 108 Abs. 3 AO).
Where a deadline was extended by statute — such as the COVID-19 extensions in Art. 97 § 36 EGAO — the original date stands beside it, struck through. The info marker names the authority.
Only nationwide holidays are taken into account. Where the day is a public holiday in the Land your Finanzamt belongs to, the deadline ends correspondingly later.

This overview is not tax advice. For your own case, please confirm the dates with your Steuerberater or with the Finanzamt responsible for you.

Find a tax advisor — and the longer statutory deadlines apply to you.