This site is a service of CenaCom

Online State-Approved Conciliation Procedure

File online and immediately suspend the statute of limitations

Anyone wishing to secure their legal claims can suspend the statute of limitations by filing an application for a state-approved conciliation procedure with CenaCom.

The state-approved conciliation procedure, known as “Güteverfahren”, offers a structured way to resolve conflicts out of court. It can be initiated online, is legally secure, and recognized throughout Germany.

File an Application and Suspend the Limitation Period

CenaCom is a state-approved dispute resolution body (conciliation body). You can prepare and submit your conciliation application using the online form.
Once the application has been formally served, the suspension of the statute of limitations takes effect (§ 204 (1) No. 4(b) BGB).

Submit Application

The application is created online and then submitted by email, beA, fax, or mail. A qualified electronic or handwritten signature is required. The facts of the case and the asserted claim must be clearly described. The application may be filed unilaterally or jointly.

Suspend Limitation

Once the conciliation application is received, the statute of limitations is suspended. The effect is unilateral and remains in place until six months after the procedure is concluded.

The process is confidential.

Submit Application

Procedure Overview

The state-approved conciliation procedure follows clear and legally defined steps. The application is prepared and submitted online. Once it is received by the conciliation body, the suspension of the statute of limitations begins, regardless of how the process develops.

The other party is notified and involved. If a hearing is held, a neutral conciliator guides the process. If no agreement is reached, CenaCom issues a Certificate of Non-Success.

You can create the application using our online form, download it, and submit it by email, beA, fax, or mail with a qualified (electronic) signature.

The application must clearly describe the underlying facts and the asserted claim.
The state-approved conciliation procedure may be initiated by one party alone or jointly (§ 204 (1) No. 4 BGB).

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After your application is received, you will receive a confirmation with a file number, as well as an invoice for the application fee (238.00 € including VAT).

When your application is received, the case file is created. The conciliation procedure formally begins only once payment has been received. The legal basis is the CenaCom Rules of Procedure and § 204 (1) No. 4 BGB.

Code of Procedure & Fees (PDF)
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Once your application fee has been paid, the conciliation request is formally notified to the respondent(s) (see § 204 (1) No. 4 BGB).

Notification to the respondent retroactively relates back to the receipt of the conciliation request by CenaCom, and the suspension of the statute of limitations takes effect. Any copies required for notification must be submitted subsequently if needed.

Brochure: Conciliation Procedure (PDF)
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We request the respondent’s consent to participate in the procedure. If a conciliation clause exists or the application was submitted jointly, consent is not required. Once consent is obtained, we coordinate the date for the conciliation hearing. Its goal is to reach an enforceable settlement agreement (§ 794 (1) No. 1 ZPO).

If the other party refuses to consent, does not respond, or if the hearing ends without success, we issue a written certificate of non-success. This document serves as the basis for court proceedings or further steps. The suspension of the statute of limitations ends six months after the certificate of non-success is issued (§ 204 (2) BGB).

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If a settlement is reached, a written final agreement is drafted, which can be made enforceable under § 794 (1) No. 1 ZPO. CenaCom can request an enforcement clause from the Karlsruhe Local Court, enabling enforcement in all EU member states.

Unlike out-of-court settlements, no additional lawsuit is required. The settlement reached before CenaCom is directly enforceable.

Example: Case File (German, PDF)
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Advantages of the Procedure

The state-approved conciliation procedure provides a legally secure framework when claims need to be preserved, limitation periods suspended, or an out-of-court agreement is preferred.

This is particularly beneficial for companies, law firms, tax advisors, attorneys, consulting professions, and many others.

Submit Application Easily

The application is prepared and submitted online. Once it is received by the dispute resolution body, the suspension of the statute of limitations under § 204 BGB begins, regardless of how the process develops.

No Consent from the Opposing Party Required

The procedure can be initiated unilaterally. The opposing party’s consent is not required to suspend the statute of limitations.

Flexible Procedure Design

The parties determine the location, date, and conciliator.
The procedure is confidential and oriented toward achieving an agreement.

State-Approved & Competent Throughout Germany

CenaCom is a state-recognized dispute resolution body under § 794 (1) No. 1 ZPO and is competent throughout Germany.

High Success Rate in Negotiated Proceedings

Approximately 85–90% of negotiated procedures result in a settlement.

Our online form guides you step-by-step through the application process.

Start Application

Frequently Asked Questions

If the parties are unable to reach an agreement despite the conciliation hearing or the defendant does not agree to participate, a so-called certificate of unsuccessfulness will be issued. When this certificate is issued, the suspension of the limitation period ends six months later (Section 204 (2) BGB). This means that the parties can then pursue other avenues, such as court proceedings, if they wish.

The procedure is initiated by submitting a dispute resolution application or conciliation application (formerly known as “Güteverfahren” in German). You can submit this application using the online form on the website. The underlying facts and the asserted claim must be clearly described in the application. A qualified electronic or handwritten signature is required depending on the submission method (email, beA, fax or post). The application can be filed either by one party alone or jointly with the other party.

A dispute resolution procedure is a statutory way of resolving disputes out of court. It serves to end disputes in a structured, confidential and legally secure manner without having to go directly to court. The main advantages are legal certainty thanks to a potentially enforceable agreement (Section 794 of the German Code of Civil Procedure (ZPO)), the suspension of the statute of limitations from the time the application is filed (Section 204 of the German Civil Code (BGB)), confidentiality thanks to the statutory duty of confidentiality, the voluntary nature of the agreement and the often faster settlement.

The suspension of the limitation period ends six (6) months after the date on which CenaCom initiates the notification to the creditor of the debtor’s decision not to participate in the dispute resolution proceedings (formerly: conciliation proceedings). This requires an internal CenaCom process that corresponds to the date on the CenaCom certificate of no success.

An out-of-court dispute resolution procedure at CenaCom takes an average of 2-4 months from application to conclusion. In comparison, court proceedings can take 12-24 months or longer.

Typical procedure:

  • Week 1-2: Examination and forwarding of the application to the other party
  • Week 3-6: Response period of the other party and appointment agreement
  • Week 7-12: Conciliation hearing(s) with our experienced mediator(s)
  • Week 13-16: Conclusion by settlement or certificate of unsuccessfulness

The duration depends on the complexity of the case, the willingness of the parties to cooperate and the number of hearings required.

A qualified electronic signature (QES) is the legally strongest form of digital signature and is legally equivalent to a handwritten signature.

It fulfills the following requirements:

  • Clear assignment to the person of the signatory
  • Recognition of changes to the document after signing
  • Legal certainty in accordance with the EU eIDAS Regulation and the German Trust Services Act
  • Issued by qualified trust service providers (e.g. D-Trust, Bundesdruckerei)
1. create an application online and generate it as a PDF:
  1. Complete the dispute resolution request form online here
  2. Click on“Generate application as PDF“
  3. Save the PDF on your device
2. check before signing! (IMPORTANT)

Check the PDF carefully before signing:

  • Completeness of all details
  • Correct spelling of names and addresses
  • Correct dates and amounts
  • Comprehensible statement of facts and description of the asserted claim(s)
  • claim(s) asserted
3. PDF with qualified electronic signature:

The PDF MUST be provided with a qualified electronic signature!
Providers for qualified electronic signatures (selection):

5. final check after signing:

Check after signing:

  • The PDF shows a lock symbol or signature seal
  • The document is read-only (no longer editable)
  • The signature is displayed as valid
  • Signature details show your name and the certificate
Recognition features of a correctly signed PDF, e.g:
  • Blue signature bar at the top
  • Message“Signed and all signatures are valid“
  • Document status shows“Certified” or“Signed“
6. submission to CenaCom:

Send the signed PDF to us.

If you are unable to sign the PDF with a qualified signature, please print out the PDF, sign it and send it by fax to: 0721 18056059.

Avoid common mistakes: These signatures are NOT sufficient:

  • Simple electronic signature (e.g. DocuSign Standard)
  • Scanned handwritten signature
  • Digital stamps without a certificate
  • Adobe signature without a qualified certificate

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact us by e-mail.

Legal notice: Only applications duly signed with a qualified electronic signature can lead to a suspension of the statute of limitations. Unsigned or incorrectly signed documents will not be processed.