Current for 2026•As of: July 2026

Vacation Entitlement Calculator 2026 Calculate Vacation Days.

Calculate vacation days for part-time work, parental leave, mid-year start & severe disability – statutory minimum leave is 20 days

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20 days40 days
0 days30 days
None 12 months

5 additional vacation days per year (pro rata for part-time)

Legal notes:

  • Statutory minimum: 24 working days (= 20 for a 5-day week)
  • Full entitlement only after 6 months of waiting period
  • Remaining leave generally forfeits on March 31 of the following year
  • Parental leave reduction must be declared by the employer

Your remaining leave

30 days

still available

Annual entitlement

30 days

Already taken

0 days

Calculation details

Contractual leave30 days
Total annual entitlement30 days

Remaining leave spread over the rest of the year

July5.0 d
August5.0 d
September5.0 d
October5.0 d
November5.0 d
December5.0 d

Even distribution — arrangement with employer required.

Statutory minimum entitlement:

For a 5-day week: 20 days

(Basis: 24 working days = 20 working days for a 5-day week)

Important note

These calculations are for non-binding information only and do not replace professional tax advice. All information without guarantee. Learn more

Sources & calculation basis

Our calculations are based on the following official sources (as of: July 2026):

How is vacation entitlement calculated?

Basics of the Federal Vacation Act (Bundesurlaubsgesetz)

The Federal Vacation Act (Bundesurlaubsgesetz, BUrlG) regulates the minimum vacation leave for employees in Germany. The statutory minimum leave is 24 working days for a 6-day week, which corresponds to 20 working days for a 5-day week.

However, many employers grant more vacation days than the statutory minimum. In Germany, 25 to 30 vacation days per year for a 5-day week are common.

Vacation entitlement for part-time work

Pro-rata calculation for part-time employees

For part-time employment, vacation entitlement is calculated pro rata. The calculation follows a simple formula that takes the actual working days into account.

Example calculation: part-time with 3 days/week

Example calculation: part-time with 3 days/week
ItemAmount
Contractual vacation days (full-time)30 days
Working days per week (part-time)3 days
Calculation30 × (3 ÷ 5)
Vacation entitlement18 days

The formula is: vacation days × (working days per week ÷ 5)

Parental leave and vacation entitlement

Rights during and after parental leave

Vacation entitlement continues to accrue during parental leave. However, under §17 BEEG the employer may reduce the leave by 1/12 for each full month of parental leave.

Important: The employer must actively declare this reduction – without a declaration, the full entitlement remains. The leave can be taken during the current or the following vacation year after parental leave ends.

Additional leave for severe disability

Requirement
Degree of disability (GdB) of at least 50 or equal status under §2(3) SGB IX
Entitlement
5 additional vacation days per calendar year for full-time employment
Part-time pro-rata
For part-time work, the additional leave is calculated pro rata based on the actual working days
Proof
The severe disability ID card must be presented to the employer

Waiting period and forfeiture

  1. Waiting period: Full vacation entitlement only arises after 6 months of employment. Before that, a pro-rata entitlement of 1/12 per month applies.
  2. Carryover: Unused vacation generally forfeits on March 31 of the following year (carryover period under §7(3) BUrlG).
  3. Illness: In case of prolonged illness, vacation can be carried over up to 15 months after the end of the year (§7(3) sentence 3 BUrlG).

Frequently asked questions about vacation entitlement

Everything important at a glance

Under the Federal Vacation Act (Bundesurlaubsgesetz, BUrlG), the statutory minimum leave is 24 working days for a 6-day week, or 20 working days for a 5-day week. Many employment contracts grant more – 25 to 30 vacation days for full-time employment are common.

For part-time work, vacation entitlement is calculated pro rata. The formula is: contractual vacation days × (actual working days per week ÷ 5). Example: 30 days × (3 ÷ 5) = 18 vacation days. The statutory minimum leave for a 3-day week is therefore 12 days.

Full vacation entitlement only arises after 6 months of employment. Before that: 1/12 of the annual leave per full month of employment. For example, someone starting on October 1 is entitled to 3/12 = 2.5 days by year-end (pro rata for 10 days of annual leave).

No, vacation entitlement continues to accrue during parental leave. However, under §17 BEEG the employer may reduce the leave by 1/12 for each full month of parental leave. The employer must actively and explicitly declare this reduction – without a declaration, the full entitlement remains.

People with a degree of disability (GdB) of at least 50 are entitled under §208 SGB IX to 5 additional vacation days per year for a 5-day week. For part-time work, the additional leave is calculated pro rata based on the actual working days. The severe disability ID card must be presented to the employer.

Unused vacation generally forfeits on March 31 of the following year (§7(3) BUrlG). Since the 2022 ECJ ruling, forfeiture requires that the employer has given the employee timely notice of the impending forfeiture. In case of illness, leave can be carried over up to 15 months after the end of the year.

Remaining leave = annual leave + carried-over leave from the previous year − vacation days already taken. Our vacation calculator shows you the exact remaining entitlement based on your details (full-time/part-time, start date, parental leave, severe disability).

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