What is the church tax (Kirchensteuer)? (2024)

Members of certain churches must pay the church tax (Kirchensteuer). It’s 9% of your income tax, or 8% in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.²

If you earn 50,000€ per year, the church tax is around 800€ per year.

Calculate your church tax➞

These religious communities collect a church tax:³

• Evangelical Church (Evangelische Kirche)
• Roman Catholic Church (Römisch-katholische Kirche)
• Jewish Community (Jüdische Gemeinde)
• Old Catholic Church (Altkatholische Kirche)
• Some Free Religious communities (Freireligiöse Gemeinden)

If you are not part of those churches, you do not pay church tax.¹

You declare your religion when you register your address. The church can also tax you if you were a member in another country.⁴ To stop paying the church tax, you must leave the church.