Vacation Entitlement Calculator Germany
Statutory minimum leave in Germany (BUrlG) for your working days per week, compared with your contract, plus pro-rata leave when joining or leaving mid-year.
With a start or end date the calculator works out the entitlement for that calendar year (for an end date: the year you leave), including the waiting period and pro-rata leave.
Statutory minimum leave
20 days
for a 5-day week
Contractual leave days
30 days
= 6.0 weeks
Your contractual leave is 10 days above the statutory minimum.
Part-time conversion
Based on: Federal Leave Act (BUrlG) - Minimum 24 working days for a 6-day week. For fewer working days, the leave is calculated proportionally. Contractual leave may not fall below the statutory minimum. The full entitlement first arises after six months (§ 4 BUrlG); if the waiting period is not completed within the calendar year, or the employment ends before it or in the first half of the year, you get 1/12 per full month (§ 5 BUrlG).
Note: These calculations are for informational purposes only and do not replace professional tax or financial advice. All information without guarantee.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How many vacation days am I entitled to?
The legal minimum is 20 working days per year for a 5-day week (24 days for a 6-day week). Most collective agreements and contracts grant 25-30 days. Part-time employees receive proportionally adjusted entitlements.
Can I carry over unused vacation days?
Unused vacation must generally be taken by March 31 of the following year. However, recent court rulings require employers to actively remind employees to take their vacation; otherwise, the entitlement may not expire.
What if my employment contract grants less leave than the legal minimum?
You are still entitled to the statutory minimum leave – any agreement below it is invalid (§ 13 BUrlG). The calculator compares both figures and flags the statutory entitlement if the contract falls short: for a 4-day week it is 16 days (24 days for a 6-day week ÷ 6 × 4); if the contract says only 14 days, 16 apply. It also shows how many weeks off your leave amounts to, e.g. 30 days in a 5-day week = 6 weeks.
Guide
What is the Vacation Entitlement Calculator Germany?
The holiday entitlement calculator computes the statutory and contractual leave entitlement, including for mid-year starters/leavers and part-time workers.
How does the Vacation Entitlement Calculator Germany work?
Enter working days per week and contractual leave days, plus the date if you join or leave during the year. The calculator checks the six-month waiting period, works out pro-rata leave where it applies (1/12 per full month of employment under § 5 BUrlG) and adjusts for part-time.
Key Data and Facts
Statutory minimum leave: 24 working days (6-day week) = 20 days (5-day week). Waiting period: 6 months. Carry-over into the following year: until 31 March.
Step-by-Step Guide
How to calculate your vacation entitlement step by step: 1. Determine the working days per week: 5-day week = 20 days minimum leave. 6-day week = 24 days. 4-day week = 16 days. 3-day week = 12 days. 2. Check the contractual vacation entitlement: many employment and collective agreements grant more than the statutory minimum entitlement (often 28-30 days for a 5-day week). 3. Note the waiting period: the full vacation entitlement first arises once the employment has lasted six months (§ 4 BUrlG). If the waiting period ends within the year you join (start on or before 1 July), you already get the full annual leave in that year. 4. Partial entitlement when joining later: if the waiting period only ends in the following year (start from 2 July), you get 1/12 of the annual leave per full month of employment in the year you join (§ 5(1)(a) BUrlG). 5. Reduction when leaving: before the waiting period is completed, or after it but in the first half of the year, 1/12 per full month (§ 5(1)(b) and (c) BUrlG); in the second half of the year the full statutory entitlement. Fractions of at least half a day are rounded up (§ 5(2) BUrlG). 6. Carryover: remaining leave must be taken by 31.03. of the following year.
Calculation Example
Start date 1 April, 5-day week, 30 days of contractual leave. The waiting period ends on 30 September, i.e. within the same year: the full entitlement of 30 days applies (20 days statutory), unless the contract reduces the extra leave pro rata. Start only on 1 August: the waiting period ends on 31 January of the following year, so the first year brings pro-rata leave for 5 full months: 5/12 x 30 = 12.5 days, rounded up to 13 days (statutory 5/12 x 20 = 8.33 days).
Sources
Official sources
Calculations are based on applicable German laws and official data:
Full methodology at Methodology.
Reviewed by Konstantin Iakovlev · Last updated:
Work
Related Calculators
Hourly Wage Calculator Germany
Convert monthly gross pay in Germany into an hourly wage or vice versa. Based on weekly hours, you also see daily, weekly, monthly and annual gross pay.
Salary Increase Calculator Germany
German pay rise: enter monthly gross pay and the raise in % or euros to see new gross pay, the extra per month and year and your 2026 net pay before and after.
Part-Time Calculator Germany
Enter full-time hours, full-time gross pay and new weekly hours in Germany to get your part-time gross and 2026 net pay, hourly rate and pension impact.
Minimum Wage Calculator Germany
Germany's 2026 minimum wage of 13.90 € an hour converted to your weekly hours: per month, year and working day, plus a check of your monthly gross pay.