Lost property report - information for finders

Anyone who finds a valuable item worth more than 10 euros is obliged to report this find immediately.

The lost and found office of the municipality where the item was found or any police station is generally responsible for accepting the report.

When accepting the lost property report, the circumstances relevant to determining the person entitled to receive the item must be established ex officio and recorded in writing, in particular

• Date of the report,
• time and place of the find,
• the nature of the lost property,
• the name and address of the finder,
• whether the item is being kept by the finder or has been delivered to the lost and found office,
• whether the finder waives his rights arising from the find (Sections 971 to 975 of the German Civil Code).

The finder is entitled to a finder's fee. In accordance with Section 971 of the German Civil Code, this amounts to 5% of the material value for items up to 500 euros, and an additional 3% of the added value.

The finder generally acquires ownership of the item six months after reporting the find to the competent authority, unless the finder has previously become aware of a person entitled to receive the item or this person has registered their right with the competent authority. The finder will be notified after the deadline that the lost property can be collected (possibly for a storage/processing fee). However, the finder must expect a claim for enrichment from the former owner for a further three years. Official documents may not be transferred.

Note: All items found on the (suburban) train or at the station must be handed in to Deutsche Bahn.

Lost property request - information for losers

If a lost property can be assigned to the owner, the owner will be notified in writing (e.g. in the case of identity documents, bank cards).

The lost and found office provides information about lost property in regular announcements (e.g. notice boards, municipal gazettes) or on the municipal website. A list of lost property is published here at regular intervals.

In some municipalities, the loss can also be requested or reported. In order to be able to identify your lost item beyond doubt, it should be described as precisely as possible in the lost property request and the circumstances of the loss (date, location) should be stated.

Lost property that has been handed in to the local authority's lost and found office is available for collection for six months. If the loser does not come forward, the finder usually acquires ownership of the lost property. If the finder has waived the right of ownership after the retention period has expired, the lost property will be auctioned or donated to charity.

Note: All items lost on the (S-)Bahn or at the station are kept by Deutsche Bahn.

Unlike described in the fourth last paragraph, the lost and found office of the city of Erlangen does not publish a list of lost property on the website of the city of Erlangen. In the event of loss, please contact the lost and found office to find out about any lost property.