Processing of personal data Deletion

    As part of your self-determination under data protection law, you can, under certain conditions, demand that bodies that process your personal data must delete your data completely.

    Description

    As a citizen of the European Union (EU), you can request that any body that collects and processes personal data about you deletes your data completely. However, this is subject to certain conditions.

    Irrespective of this, such a body must delete your personal data even without your request if it no longer needs the data for the respective purpose.

    Personal data includes, for example

    • Online data, such as IP address, location data, e-mail address
    • Bank data, such as account balances, account numbers
    • Identification numbers, such as identity card number or social security number
    • Land register entries
    • Health information, such as genetic data, medical data
    • certificates
    • General personal data, such as name, address, age, marital status
    • Physical characteristics, such as gender, skin, hair or eye color, height

    You can assert the right to erasure against public and non-public bodies. Public bodies are, for example, authorities, non-public bodies are, for example, commercial enterprises, associations or clubs.

    You must request the erasure of your personal data directly from the responsible public or non-public body.

    If you wish to submit a written request by post or require general information, please contact the relevant authority with your questions.

    The contact details of the relevant authority can be found in the list of authorities on the "service.bund.de - Service Online" portal.

    Required documents

    • Copy of your identity card or
    • Copy of your passport in connection with the copy of your registration certificate

    Prerequisites

    In order for you to have your personal data erased

    • the body from which you request erasure must have collected or processed personal data about you
    • it is personal data that relates to you personally,
    • the data must be personal data,
      • is no longer necessary for the body processing it,
      • which have been processed unlawfully,
      • for the processing of which you have withdrawn your consent in the meantime and there is no other legal basis for the processing
      • to the processing of which you have objected,
      • which must be deleted due to special legal provisions.

    Your personal data cannot be erased if it is processed

    • for exercising the right of freedom of expression and information,
    • in order to assert other legal claims,
    • for the performance of a legitimate public task or if the processing is in the public interest,
    • for research, scientific or statistical purposes and their erasure would render this impossible or at least seriously impair it.

    There are no generally applicable legal remedies.

    Procedure

    You can request the deletion of your personal data online or in writing by post.

    Request deletion of your personal data online:

    • Call up the online application on the federal portal verwaltung.bund.de. This will guide you step by step through the necessary information, which you can enter electronically.
    • Note: You will need an electronic ID document for the online application, for example the online function of your ID card.
    • Upload the required documents as a file (in the file formats PDF, DOC, JPEG, PNG, maximum 10 megabytes per file) and send the application. Alternatively, you can also submit the required documents by post.
    • The public authority will usually send you the corresponding reply by post to your registration address or, under certain circumstances, by e-mail.

    Request the deletion of your personal data in writing:

    • You can submit your request informally.
    • Send your request with the required documents by post to the public authority.

    The public authority will send you the corresponding reply by post.

    Deadlines

    There is no deadline.

    Processing time

    4 weeks (Your personal data must be deleted immediately, i.e. without culpable delay on the part of the body processing the data. In principle, you must be informed of the measures taken no later than 1 month after you have requested the deletion. If this is not possible, you must be informed of the reasons for the delay and the extended deadline.)

    Costs

    free of charge

    Area of validity

    Hesse

    Official approval

    Officially approved by Federal Ministry of the Interior and for Home Affairs (BMI) on 09.08.2023

    Version

    Technisch erstellt on 07.12.2023

    Technisch geändert on 25.06.2024

    Keywords

    Datenauskunft, Datenschutzgrundverordnung, Personenbezogen Daten Entfernung, Datenschutz-Grundverordnung, Personenbezogen Daten entfernen, Bundesdatenschutzgesetz, Personenbezogen Daten löschen, Datenschutz, DS-GVO, Betroffenenrecht, Betroffenenrechte, BDSG, Grundverordnung, EU-DS-GVO, EU-DSGVO, Personenbezogene Daten, DSGVO, Recht auf Vergessenwerden, Personenbezogen Daten Löschung

    Language version

    Deutsch

    Sprache: de

    Technisch erstellt on 07.06.2017

    Technisch geändert on 14.05.2025

    Englisch

    Sprache: en

    Sprachbezeichnung nativ:

    English

    Technisch erstellt on 07.07.2021

    Technisch geändert on 26.11.2019