German city offices close for extended holiday break until early January
City administration offices across Germany will shut down for an extended period over the holidays. The closures begin on December 24 and continue until early January, affecting most municipal services. Residents should plan ahead as emergency and after-hours services, known as Notdienste, will also operate on reduced schedules during the January holidays.
The first wave of closures starts on December 24, with all city administration offices remaining shut through December 26. Employees will then return briefly before receiving additional leave on December 29 and 30, which may further limit service availability.
Most municipal emergency and after-hours services—known as Notdienste—will be scaled back or closed entirely between December 24, 2025, and January 1, 2025. Local authorities have arranged specific Notdienst hours, though these vary by city. Commonly, limited services will be available on December 29 and 30, 2025, often between 9 am and PM, with some cities offering shorter windows. For example, Arnsberg will provide Notdienste on December 29 and 30 from 9 am to 12 pm, as well as on January 2, 2025, for certain services. Herten’s Jobcenter will offer emergency support on the same dates but only between 9 am and 11 am.
Koblenz has restricted its Notdienste on December 29 and 30, with the registry office (Standesamt) and passport services open from 10 am to 12 pm. Bad Salzuflen will maintain emergency contact options, including limited registry office services on December 29 and January 2.
A full shutdown follows from December 31, 2025, through January 6, 2025. During this time, all offices and municipal services will remain closed, with no exceptions for routine matters.
The holiday closures mean residents will need to handle urgent matters during the limited Notdienst windows. Those requiring passports, registry services, or emergency assistance should check their local city website for exact times and availability. Normal operations will resume on January 7, 2025.
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