German Security Fee

German Security Fee is collected to offset the costs for security screenings at German airports. It is a per-passenger fee on departures from a German airport regardless of whether the flight is private or commercial.

Who is liable?

Passengers and ultimately the operator of commercial or private (non-commercial) flights are subject to the fee. It is levied on all passengers that have undergone security screenings at a German airport except children under the age of two. 

How to declare?

Aircraft operators are required to inform the competent authority of the number of departing passengers by the 10th day following the end of the month in which they depart from a German airport.

The scheme is administered by the competent German Federal Police office or other competent authority depending on the airport of departure. This means operators with departures from more than one German airport during a month are likely to report pax numbers to more than one competent authority.

How to pay?

After submission of the pax information, operators will receive a separate notice of assessment showing the fee calculated by the competent authority. They must make payment in full by the due date to the bank account specified on the notice of assessment.

How much do I need to pay?

The fee per passenger depends on the airport of departure and is reviewed annually. It is above 2 but not higher than 10 €. The rates for 2024 have been published by the German Federal Ministry of the Interior and are available for download in the green box to your right.