Verified & updated: August 2026. Checked against §10 Abs. 4 StAG at gesetze-im-internet.de and current exam-provider pricing (telc, Goethe-Institut). This page is updated when requirements or prices change.
Every naturalization route in Germany — the standard 5-year path and the 3-year spouse route alike — requires proving German at level B1. This is one of the most common sticking points, mostly because people aren't sure which certificate actually counts, what it costs, or whether they qualify for an exemption. Here's the specific, current answer.
In short: You need to prove German at CEFR level B1, normally with a telc Deutsch B1, Goethe-Zertifikat B1, or the DTZ certificate from an integration course (§10 Abs. 4 StAG). A German school-leaving certificate also works. The exam typically costs €130–230. Hardship exemptions exist for illness, disability, and — for the guest-worker generation — a lower, oral-only standard.Note: This article is general information, not legal advice. Naturalization offices can vary slightly in which documents they accept as proof — always confirm with your own Staatsangehörigkeitsbehörde before booking an exam.
Key facts (2026)
- Required level: B1 on the Common European Framework (CEFR) — §10 Abs. 4 StAG
- Accepted certificates: telc Deutsch B1, Goethe-Zertifikat B1, the DTZ (Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer, issued after an integration course), and equivalent recognized B1 exams
- A German school-leaving certificate (Hauptschulabschluss or higher) also satisfies the requirement — no separate language exam needed
- Typical exam fee: ≈ €130–230, depending on the provider and whether it's a public (VHS) or private testing centre
- Hardship exemptions (§10 Abs. 6 StAG): illness, disability, or age can lower or waive the requirement
- Guest-worker generation exemption: people who came to Germany as guest workers before July 1974 (or GDR contract workers before June 1990) can meet the language requirement with basic oral communication ability alone
- The certificate does not expire for naturalization purposes — an old B1 certificate is still valid proof years later
- telc Deutsch B1 — the most widely offered, available at VHS (Volkshochschule) adult education centres and private language schools nationwide.
- Goethe-Zertifikat B1 — issued by the Goethe-Institut, similar recognition and format.
- DTZ (Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer) — issued at the end of a BAMF-funded integration course; if you completed one, you likely already have this.
- ÖSD and other CEFR-aligned B1 certificates from recognized providers are generally accepted too, but confirm with your local office first.
- A German school-leaving certificate — if you attended school in Germany and hold at minimum a Hauptschulabschluss, this substitutes for a separate language exam entirely.
- Written part (about 150 minutes plus a short break): reading comprehension, language elements (vocabulary and grammar in context), and listening comprehension.
- Oral part (about 15 minutes, usually done in pairs): a short introduction, a discussion on an everyday topic, and a joint task you solve together with your exam partner.
- Illness, disability, or age. If a documented health condition or age makes reaching B1 unreasonable, the office can lower the requirement or accept a lower level, on a case-by-case basis with supporting documentation (usually a doctor's note).
- The guest-worker generation. People who arrived as guest workers before 1 July 1974 (or as GDR contract workers before 1 June 1990) can meet the language requirement with basic oral communication ability — no written exam or formal certificate required. This exists precisely because this generation was often never offered structured German courses when they arrived.
- BAMF integration courses are the lowest-cost route if you're eligible — they combine a language course with the Orientierungskurs (civic knowledge) and end in the DTZ exam, which also counts toward the B1 requirement.
- Private classes and self-study with past exam papers (telc and Goethe both publish official sample tests) work well if you're already close to B1 from daily life in Germany.
- Structured online tutoring (for example, italki for one-on-one conversation practice, or Lingoda for scheduled group classes) is a common way to close a specific gap — speaking confidence, in particular — before booking the exam.
- "You need C1 German for citizenship." Wrong — the standard requirement is B1 (§10 Abs. 4 StAG). C1 is required for some specific fast-track routes elsewhere in immigration law, not for standard naturalization.
- "Your B1 certificate expires after a few years." No — for naturalization purposes, a valid B1 certificate doesn't have an expiry date. Some sites confuse this with unrelated visa rules.
- "Only the Goethe-Institut certificate is accepted." No — telc, Goethe, DTZ, and other CEFR-aligned providers are all accepted; check locally if in doubt, but there's no single mandatory provider.
- §10 StAG — naturalization entitlement, including the B1 requirement (official consolidated text)
- BAMF — integration courses and language requirements
- Our German citizenship requirements guide for the full naturalization picture
What "B1" actually means
B1 is the third of six levels on the CEFR scale (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2). At B1 you can: handle everyday situations, understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar topics, produce simple connected text, and describe experiences and plans. It's a meaningfully lower bar than fluency — you don't need to discuss abstract topics or write formally to pass. Most people who've lived and worked in Germany for a few years, even without formal study, are closer to B1 than they expect.
Which certificates actually count
Naturalization offices accept:
Higher-level certificates (B2, C1) also satisfy the B1 requirement — there's no need to "downgrade." If you already hold a B2 or C1 certificate from a job or university application, it covers this requirement too.
Exam format (telc Deutsch B1, the most common route)
The telc B1 exam has a written and an oral part, each graded independently — you need roughly 60% in both to pass; a strong written score cannot compensate for a weak oral score, or the reverse.
Goethe-Zertifikat B1 follows a similar four-skills structure (reading, listening, writing, speaking). Both are widely available and results are usually issued within a few weeks.
Exemptions: when you don't need the full standard
§10 Abs. 6 StAG builds two real exceptions into the law itself:
If you think either exception might apply to you, raise it directly with your Staatsangehörigkeitsbehörde early — it changes what you need to prepare for.
Preparing for the exam
Options range widely by budget and schedule:
What it costs, worked example
| Item | Cost |
| telc Deutsch B1 exam (public VHS centre) | ≈ €130–170 |
| telc Deutsch B1 exam (private centre) | ≈ €170–230 |
| Goethe-Zertifikat B1 | ≈ €170–200 |
| DTZ (included at the end of a funded integration course) | Often no separate fee if the course itself was funded |