Cooling-off Deadline Calculator

Calculate the end of the 14-day withdrawal period under section 355 BGB, with weekend and holiday shifts plus expiry deadlines without notice.

How useful is this tool?

The result will appear here …

Cooling-off Deadline Calculator for German consumer contracts

A parcel arrives, but you decide to cancel later. The Cooling-off Deadline Calculator counts the ordinary 14 calendar days under section 355 BGB. It shows the unadjusted deadline at 24:00, meaning the end of that day. A Saturday, Sunday or applicable public holiday can move the deadline under section 193 BGB. The result assumes a right of withdrawal exists and all requirements for the start are met.

How it works and when to use it

Enter the relevant event date. For goods bought remotely or away from business premises, this generally means receipt, not the order date. For services, contract conclusion is generally relevant. Proper withdrawal instructions are also required. Under section 187 BGB, the event day does not count. The following day is day one. Select the federal state at the place of declaration and optionally enter your planned dispatch date.

  • Prepare a return and declare withdrawal before the ordinary deadline.
  • Compare a planned dispatch date with the calculated end date.
  • Check which weekends and modelled holidays cause an adjustment.

Example: the event occurs on 1 October 2026, proper instructions are available and North Rhine-Westphalia applies. Day one is 2 October. The deadline remains Thursday, 15 October 2026, at 24:00.

What the tool can and cannot determine

Without instructions, ordinary dates appear only as a comparison. For ordinary distance contracts, the calculator adds an outer model of twelve months plus 14 days. Instructions received later or early expiry for services need separate assessment. A checkbox cannot review your documents.

The inherited holiday table has limits. It counts Reformation Day in Baden-Württemberg and Penitence Day in Bavaria, although these are not general statutory public holidays there. Assumption Day applies only locally in Bavaria. Other local holidays are missing. Check the applicable place before relying on an extended deadline.

For separate tasks, use the Business Days Calculator, retention periods tool or termination letter tool. Termination and withdrawal are different declarations.

Legal note: Guidance only, not legal advice. Defective instructions and special cases depend on the contract. As of 15 October 2026. Sources: section 355, section 356 as well as section 193, section 356b and section 356c BGB.

Why process locally in the browser?

The calculation runs on your device. The tool does not send entered dates to a calculation service or store them permanently. Names and contract numbers are unnecessary. Reloading the page means entering your details again.

A small contribution to climate protection

1.76 g CO2 per page view is a historical comparison figure, not a measurement of this website. The IEA reports 415 TWh of data centre electricity consumption in 2024. Local processing avoids a repeated server round trip for each calculation. No specific CO2 saving per calculation can be derived from that. Your device and the loaded website still use energy.

Frequently asked questions

Does the period start without withdrawal instructions?

Not in ordinary distance-contract cases. Section 356 BGB requires proper information. Twelve months plus 14 days is an outer expiry framework, not a universal running withdrawal period.

Does dispatch or receipt count, and is a form required?

Section 355(1) BGB accepts timely dispatch. State withdrawal clearly. Generally no particular form is required, but text form helps preserve evidence. Check any special formal requirements.

What if the deadline falls on Saturday?

Section 193 BGB moves it to the next working day. Sundays and applicable statutory holidays also do not qualify. The calculator names recognised holidays, but its local coverage is limited.

Is there a three-month deadline for property brokers?

Not as a general rule. Section 356c BGB concerns timeshare and related contracts. The three-month date shown is only a calculation scenario, not a statutory expiry deadline for ordinary residential brokerage.

What about consumer loans?

The tool shows only the ordinary 14-day scenario. Section 356b BGB requires contract documents and addresses mandatory information. Information supplied later can trigger a one-month period. No blanket expiry date applies here without instructions.

Do my entries stay local?

Yes. Dates are processed in the browser without being sent to a calculation server. You can check different dates without entering contract documents or personal details.