Press charges - file a criminal complaint
You can file a criminal complaint regardless of whether you have been injured, can testify to a criminal offence or are uninvolved. Fast processing is facilitated by selecting the federal state in which the incident took place. You can file a report informally, by telephone, online and at the police station, stating your contact details. The online report is an additional service.
Reporting a criminal offence is at the heart of the process. A distinction is made between different offence groups. If the offence you wish to report is not listed, please select the offence group Other offence.
When you report an offence, you are a witness in the criminal proceedings. Regardless of the offence you have reported online, it may be necessary to summon you to the relevant police station for further processing, for example in order to interview you in person.
It is also possible to attach photos, receipts or documents to the report. This option should be used in particular to send evidence (proof of purchase, receipts or pictures of stolen items, damaged items or screenshots) to the police with the report.
Responsible authority
every police station
Details
Prerequisite
Anyone who has knowledge of a criminal offence can file a complaint. You do not have to fulfil any specific requirements.
Procedure
A report can be made or submitted online, in writing, by telephone or verbally.
If you wish to submit the advert online:
There are several steps involved in submitting a report online.
Please note: The online report or e-mail is not suitable for emergencies - in this case, call the emergency number 110.
People with hearing or speech impairments can use the emergency fax number 110 to contact the relevant police station directly. This is the only way to ensure that you reach the nearest police station immediately.
You can also send your request for help via an emergency text message to the police, ambulance and fire service control centres.
You can report criminal offences via the online police station on the Baden-Württemberg police internet portal. This can involve various offences.
The online police station is accessed via a central internet address. The federal state responsible for processing the offence is selected via the location of the incident. After selecting the form for reporting other criminal offences, you can enter basic information about yourself (e.g. personal details, mobile phone number, email address). You can then enter data on the crime scene, the time of the offence, the offender and the event itself. The recording is accompanied by legal instructions (witness or accused person instructions as well as the requirement to file a criminal complaint and the notice of discontinuation).
It is possible to submit documents such as proof of purchase, receipts and/or images such as screenshots, images of damage or stolen items with the report.
Once the report has been submitted, you will receive an e-mail with a case number and the contact details of the office responsible for processing the report.
The relevant police department will receive and check the report. If you report a criminal offence that was committed outside Germany or in another federal state, the prosecuting authority will forward the report to the competent authority.
Deadlines
There is no deadline to comply with. However, you should observe the respective limitation periods, as criminal offences generally expire after a certain period of time.
Required documents
If necessary, evidence (proof of purchase, receipts or pictures)
Costs
none
Processing time
The processing time depends on various factors. It is not possible to set a time limit.
Miscellaneous
If you file a complaint, you are basically a witness in the criminal proceedings. It may be necessary to summon you to the relevant police station as part of the further processing of your complaint, for example in order to be able to interview you personally.
As a general rule, the more information you provide, the better the chances of the police finding the perpetrator. If you are aware of a criminal offence but do not report it, you may be liable to prosecution yourself. No special formal requirements apply. Caution is advised when it is a suspected criminal offence. Defamation and false accusation are also punishable offences. In the case of particularly serious offences such as murder, robbery or arson, there is always an obligation to report the crime.
Criminal charges cannot be withdrawn. According to the principle of legality, the criminal prosecution authorities are then obliged to investigate.
Legal basis
Strafprozessordnung (StPO):
- 158 Strafanzeige, Strafantrag
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Innenministerium Baden-Württemberg, 04.12.2025

