Any individual leaving Germany for a non-EU country and carrying cash in a total amount of 10,000 euros or more, must declare the total amount of money to the competent customs station in writing.
Any means of payment deemed equivalent to cash in the amount of 10,000 or more euros must be reported orally to the inquiring official when requested to do so.

Cash subject to declaration

"Cash" comprises:

• currency, i.e.

  • banknotes and coins, or
  • banknotes and coins that are valid means of payment or banknotes and coins that are not valid means of payment but can still be exchanged into a currency that is valid means of payment (e.g. German Mark (DEM), Austrian Schilling (ATS) - where conversion into Euros (EUR) is still possible).

• bearer negotiable instruments, e.g.

  • promissory notes
  • travellers cheques
  • shares
  • payment orders

and

• gold in the form of

  • coins with a gold content of at least 90%
  • gold bullion in the form of bars, nuggets or nuggets with a gold content of at least 99.5%

Foreign currencies shall be valued in euros at the exchange rate applicable on the day of exit.

The value of collectors’ or bullion coins (such as Maple Leaf, Eagle, Wiener Philharmoniker) shall be calculated based on its actual value and not the coin’s face value.

Declaration of cash

You have to use the "Cash declaration" form to make a declaration:

• Form 040000 (German Version) with additional sheet 040050 or
• Form 040001 (English Version) with additional sheet 040051

You can fill in the form electronically or by hand. Please make sure that the copy is signed when you submit it to the customs office. You may request an official copy.

• Formular 040000
• Formular 040001

The declaration of cash is free of charge.

Please pay attention to the respective notices when crossing the border and/or ask for the customs office counter where you can submit your declaration.

If you are traveling by air, the cash declaration form must be submitted to the customs office upon departure before entering the aviation security checkpoint.

You are under an obligation to make a declaration without being explicitly requested to do so, even though a customs official has not stopped you and asked whether you are carrying cash.

Equivalent means of payment which must be declared

Equivalent means of payment comprise:

• passbooks
• precious stones (rough or cut), e.g. diamonds, rubies, sapphires or emeralds

• gold in the form of

  • coins with a gold content of less than 90%
  • gold bullion in the form of bars, nuggets or nuggets with a gold content of less than 99.5%
• other precious metals, e.g. platinum or silver

Oral declaration of equivalent means of payment

Any person taking means of payment deemed equivalent to cash in a total amount of 10,000 euros or more out of Germany to a non-EU country, must orally declare that amount when enquired by a customs official.

Consequences of non-compliance with the obligation to declare in writing or orally

The failure to declare, in writing or orally, the cash or equivalent means of payment you are carrying, or making an incorrect or incomplete declaration, is an administrative offence which is punishable with a fine of up to one million euros.