Received an enforcement order (Vollstreckungsbescheid) — what now?
An enforcement order has landed in your letterbox: what it means, what deadline is now running, and how you can still defend yourself against an unjustified claim.
An enforcement order (Vollstreckungsbescheid) in your letterbox is no reason to panic — but it is a reason to act immediately. Enforcement can already proceed on the basis of it, and the time left to challenge it is short. Anyone who considers the claim unjustified needs to react quickly now.
How I can help you
- Immediate review of whether, and why, the claim can be challenged
- Filing an objection against the enforcement order within the deadline
- Representing you in the subsequent contested proceedings
- Assessing whether enforcement can still be averted
- Clarifying what to do if the objection deadline has already expired
What an enforcement order means
An enforcement order is equivalent to a provisionally enforceable default judgment (§ 700 ZPO). That means it is already an enforceable title, on the basis of which the creditor can take action — for example by way of account garnishment or a bailiff — even though the substance of whether the claim actually exists has not yet been examined at all. It is issued because you failed to lodge a timely objection against a previously served payment order (Mahnbescheid).
The two-week deadline to object
If you consider the claim unjustified, you can lodge an objection against the enforcement order within two weeks of service. This deadline is short and runs regardless of whether you already have your substantive arguments ready — what matters is that the objection is received in time. Once the deadline has passed, enforcement becomes considerably harder to avert, and the claim is treated, in practice, as acknowledged. If you lodge your objection in time, the matter proceeds to normal contested court proceedings, in which the claim is examined on its merits. More on time limits and your rights in civil law can be found on the Civil Law page.
On costs: billing is under the RVG (Rechtsanwaltsvergütungsgesetz) or by agreement. If the claim turns out to be unjustified, the creditor will, as a rule, ultimately bear the costs; legal expenses insurance often covers the costs — I submit the cover request on your behalf.
Act now: every day counts while the two-week deadline is still running.
This article provides general information and is no substitute for legal advice in an individual case. Last updated: 2026-06-12.
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