File a criminal complaint
Notification to the police or the district attorney's office regarding a suspected crime in order to initiate an investigation.
Wo wohnen Sie?
Damit wir File a criminal complaint mit dem zuständigen Polizei in Ihrer Stadt anzeigen können.
Oder Großstadt wählen:
Sie werden zur geführten Suche weitergeleitet – mit Kontaktdaten, Termin und nächsten Schritten für File a criminal complaint.
Quick answer
- 1
Documents you need
Identification card · Formular / Antrag
- 2
Responsible authority
The authority of your main residence
- 3
How to do it
Apply directly online
- 4
Costs
Kostenlos
How to proceed
- 1
File a complaint
At any police station, online through the respective state’s online police station, or at the district attorney’s office.
- 2
Provide evidence
Gather and attach photos, documents, and witness statements.
- 3
Receive a case number
Important for insurance purposes or if you have any questions.
Responsible authority
The authority of your main place of residence is responsible.Find authority →
The essentials before applying
Who is eligible?
Any person who has knowledge of a crime—whether as a victim or a third party.
Income limit
Processing time
Nationwide: approx. 1 day
Success rate
approx. 99.0 % (estimate)
Most common mistakes
- •Evidence (photos, receipts) not saved/brought along
- •Online reporting is used for cases that require in-person reporting (e.g., unknown perpetrators with evidence at the crime scene)
Common reasons for rejection
Alternatives
- Check related services in the application assistant
- Use social counselling before applying
If rejected
Read the decision carefully: often submitting missing documents or reapplying helps more than an objection.
Questions & Answers
Can a complaint be withdrawn?▼
In the case of offenses prosecuted ex officio, the public prosecutor’s office continues its investigation regardless of the complainant’s wishes; only in the case of offenses prosecuted upon complaint can the criminal complaint be withdrawn.
Freshness & source
- Maintenance
- Continuously reviewed & updated
- Source
- Polizeiliche Kriminalprävention
- Data quality
- 91 %
Latest content changes
- Gebühren korrigiert (kostenlos), Sofort-Antwort optimiert