Nationales Kulturgut Genehmigung für die vorübergehende Ausfuhr beantragen

If you wish to export national cultural property from Germany temporarily or permanently, you must apply for an export license.

You need a permit to export national cultural property from Germany. Cultural goods are, for example, works of art, archaeological objects, archive material, manuscripts or antiques such as furniture, musical instruments or jewelry.

National cultural property is cultural property that

• is entered in a register of nationally valuable cultural property,
• is publicly owned and held by an institution under public law that preserves cultural property (e.g. museum, archive, library),
• is owned and held by an institution preserving cultural property (e.g. museum, archive, library) that is predominantly financed by public grants, or
• is part of a federal or state art collection.

You can apply for permission from the competent authority. A distinction is made between permanent and temporary export. The export is temporary if it takes place for a limited period of no more than 5 years from the outset.

You apply in writing to the competent authority of the federal state for approval of the temporary export of national cultural property,

• in whose register of nationally valuable cultural property the cultural property is entered or
• if it is not a registered cultural asset, in the federal state in which the cultural asset is located at the time of application.

If you are a legal entity, your head office in Germany is decisive for local jurisdiction.

You apply for a permit for the permanent export of national cultural property in writing to the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.

A permit for the one-off temporary export of national treasures will be granted if

• you are eligible to apply,
  • as the owner or as an authorized third party
• you have submitted the required documents and
• you, as the applicant, can guarantee that the cultural property intended for export will be re-imported into Germany in an undamaged condition and in good time.

You may be granted a permit for the repeated temporary export of a specific cultural object if

• you are eligible to apply
  • as the owner or direct legal possessor of the cultural object,
• you have submitted the required documents
• you as the applicant can guarantee that the cultural property intended for export will be re-imported into Germany in an undamaged condition and on time.

A permit for the repeated temporary export of national cultural property can be granted if

• you are eligible to apply
  • as an institution preserving cultural property that regularly exports parts of its holdings temporarily for public exhibitions, restoration or research purposes,
• you have submitted the necessary documents
• you as the applicant can guarantee that the cultural property intended for export will be re-imported into Germany in an undamaged condition and on time.

To apply online for an export license for national cultural property, you can use a new online service in pilot operation. The online procedure includes an optional preliminary check to determine whether an export license is required based on just a few questions. You no longer have to select the correct application yourself; it is determined automatically based on the information provided. The pilot operation serves to further test and optimize the process. Authentication is required for online applications. Private individuals can do this via the federal user account, organizations verify themselves via the company account based on ELSTER.

The following steps are required to apply in writing for a license to export national cultural property:

• Use the authority finder to find the responsible authority and the form for your federal state.
• Download the correct PDF form: Export license according to § 22, § 25 or § 26 of the Cultural Property Protection Act for export to third countries or for export to member states of the European Union.
• Fill out the PDF form on your PC.
• Print out the documents:
  • Export license according to § 22 Cultural Property Protection Act: in triplicate (export to third countries) or in duplicate (export to member states of the European Union),
  • Export licenses in accordance with § 25 and § 26 of the Cultural Property Protection Act, each in duplicate (please note: the forms for exports to third countries already contain all copies).
• Sign each copy in the spaces provided, stamp them if necessary and attach the necessary supporting documents to each copy.
• Send the documents to the competent authority.
• The authority will check your application and return the documents to you completed, signed and sealed, together with a fee notice if applicable.
  • In the case of Section 22 of the Cultural Property Protection Act (export to third countries), you will receive two copies and
  • in the cases of § 22 of the Cultural Property Protection Act (export to member states of the European Union), § 25 and § 26 of the Cultural Property Protection Act, you will each receive one copy.
• Copy 1 is the application and remains with the authority. Copy 2 will be returned to you (for exports to third countries in accordance with Section 22 of the Cultural Property Protection Act: Copies 2 and 3 will be returned to you). When exporting to a third country in accordance with Section 22 of the Cultural Property Protection Act, you must submit copies 2 and 3 to the responsible German export customs office with the export declaration. The customs office of export completes box 26 and hands over copy 2 to you. After the actual export, the German customs office of export confirms this in box 27 and returns copy 3 to the authority that issued the license.

If the application for an export license is rejected, you will receive a written notification with reasons and information on legal remedies.

The processing time depends on the completeness of the application documents submitted and the complexity of the application. The permit must be applied for in good time before the planned export of the cultural property.

Licenses for the repeated temporary export of a specific cultural good or the repeated temporary export of national treasures are valid for up to 5 years. The following applies to these licenses: (temporary) export is possible until the last day of the period of validity, re-import must take place within 5 years.

The re-import period (up to 5 years) for the one-off temporary export of national treasures is determined by the authorities according to the purpose of the export.

A permit obtained through threats, bribery or collusion or obtained through incorrect or incomplete information is invalid.

• Temporary export of national treasures Authorization
• Different variants must be observed:
  • Export license for a single temporary export from Germany to a third country or to an EU Member State:
    • Authorization is only granted under certain conditions
    • Legal entitlement if conditions are met
    • Authority determines the period of validity of the export license (up to 1 year) and the re-import period (up to 5 years)
  • General open license for institutions preserving cultural property, e.g. museums, or specific open license for certain cultural property, e.g. concert tours:
    • Permission is only granted under certain conditions
    • Granting is at the discretion of the authority (no legal entitlement)
• Written application, form must be completed
• Since August 2, 2021, a new online procedure can be used in pilot operation to apply for export licenses for cultural goods. This includes an optional pre-check to determine whether an export license is required based on a few questions.
• In general, the correct application no longer has to be selected by the applicant, as it is determined automatically based on the information provided by the applicant. The pilot operation serves to further test and optimize the procedure. At the same time, the process is to be expanded by the end of 2022 so that it will also be possible to issue permits digitally.
• No deadline for issuing the permit
• Duration of issuance depends on application documents
• Responsible: Thuringian State Chancellery

Please contact the Thuringian State Chancellery.