Beamter/Beamtin im mittleren Zolldienst

Learning locations include: The Federal Financial Administration's Education and Science Centre (classrooms for group instruction) and federal customs offices, such as main customs offices and customs offices (office work, field service, e.g., at airports).

Occupation type: Civil service training. Type of training: Preparatory service, regulated by federal ordinances. Duration of preparatory service: 2 years. Learning locations: Federal Financial Administration's Education and Science Centre, customs offices. What does one do in this profession? Civil servants in the middle customs service record and check commercial consignments and process customs applications in customs clearance. In passenger traffic clearance, they control luggage and vehicles, for example. They assess duties and taxes on goods in cross-border traffic according to legal regulations. In customs investigation, they pursue illegal activities in cross-border goods traffic. To combat illegal employment, they check in businesses whether employees are properly registered. Civil servants check documents, investigate and penalize violations, and execute federal collection orders, e.g., for taxes.

Job title: Civil Servant in the Middle Customs Service. Occupation type: Civil service training/preparatory service. Training duration: 2 years. Entry requirement: Usually a secondary school leaving certificate (mittlerer Bildungsabschluss) or a lower secondary school leaving certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) and a beneficial completed (at least two-year) vocational training (Ausbildung). What does one do in this profession? Civil servants in the middle customs service record and check commercial consignments and process customs applications in customs clearance. In passenger traffic clearance, they control luggage and vehicles, for example. They assess duties and taxes on goods in cross-border traffic according to legal regulations. In customs investigation, they pursue illegal activities in cross-border goods traffic. To combat illegal employment, they check in businesses whether employees are properly registered. Civil servants check documents, investigate and penalize violations, and execute federal collection orders.

2 years

The selection process consists of a written and an oral part. The written part tests, among other things, numerical, language, and text comprehension, as well as general knowledge and personality traits. A written work sample must also be submitted. In the oral part, the suitability of the applicants is assessed through simulation exercises and an interview, among other things.

Structure of the preparatory service in the middle customs service: Introductory course: approx. 6 months, followed by an intermediate examination. Practical vocational training at the customs offices of the respective main customs office (accompanied by practice-oriented courses at the service locations of the Federal Financial Administration's Education and Science Centre (BWZ)): 12 months. Final course (including sports test): approx. 6 months, followed by the career examination. Total training duration: 24 months.

Tuition fees or course fees are not charged. Travel expenses or costs for learning materials may arise. Costs for accommodation at the training location may also be incurred.

During the theoretical Ausbildung (vocational training), one acquires knowledge in the following areas, for example: basic vocational education including information technology, law of cross-border goods traffic, customs tariff law, enforcement law, excise tax law, general tax law, enforcement law, criminal law, law of administrative offenses, immigration law, social security law. During the practical Ausbildung, one gets to know the tasks of customs in various departments, is involved in processing typical business transactions, and learns to apply specialized knowledge in independently handling cases.

One should be prepared for the following conditions and requirements: During the theoretical Ausbildung phases: classroom instruction, possibly project work, reviewing content at home. During the practical Ausbildung phases: practical collaboration (under guidance): e.g., processing customs declarations, calculating duties on the computer, assisting with goods inspections at the airport. Requirements: Diligence (e.g., precise checking of import and export permits, inspecting luggage and vehicles), sense of responsibility (e.g., when carrying out border police tasks such as border controls to prevent tobacco and drug smuggling), self-confidence (e.g., confident and authoritative demeanor when checking companies to ensure goods have been declared and due taxes and customs duties have been paid correctly).

Monthly gross basic allowance for trainees in federal agencies: €1,473. Source: dbb beamtenbund und tarifunion, as of March 2024. Note: In addition to the basic allowance, the trainee remuneration includes capital-forming benefits, possibly also family allowances and other allowances, remunerations, and surcharges.

In-depth knowledge in the following school subjects are good prerequisites for successful Ausbildung: Economics/Law: Trainee civil servants learn, for example, to apply legal regulations in the area of cross-border goods traffic during their Ausbildung. Economic and legal knowledge are therefore essential. German: Since trainee civil servants learn, among other things, to handle correspondence and prepare minutes and reports during their Ausbildung, good German language skills are necessary. Mathematics: During their Ausbildung, trainee civil servants frequently perform percentage, interest, and comparison calculations. Good mathematical skills are important for this. Sports: A sports test is conducted with the final course, which is a prerequisite for working in the armed areas of the customs administration. Preparation for the test takes place during the Ausbildung as part of Dienstsport (official sports). Physical fitness is necessary to receive good evaluations here.

The following Ausbildung (vocational training) alternatives are available for the profession of civil servant in the middle customs service: Area of Law and Administration: Civil servant in the tax administration (middle non-technical service), civil servant at the Deutsche Bundesbank (middle banking service), civil servant in the General Internal Administration (middle non-technical service). Commonality: Processing administrative procedures, partly with reference to financial administration. Area of Protection and Security: Police officer in the Federal Police (middle non-technical service), police officer in the middle non-technical service, civil servant in the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (middle service), civil servant at the Federal Intelligence Service (middle non-technical service), Specialist for Protection and Security. Commonality: Taking on tasks in crime fighting and prevention.

The Ausbildung (vocational training) in the middle-level customs service takes place as a 2-year preparatory service. It is regulated by federal ordinances and leads to a career examination.

Graduation title: Finanzwirt/Finanzwirtin (Finance Officer). Career title: Beamter/Beamtin - Zolldienst (mittlerer Dienst) (Officer - Middle-Level Customs Service). Note: The responsible authority determines whether the career is offered as an Ausbildung.

After their Ausbildung, officers in the middle-level customs service work, for example, at Hauptzollämter (Main Customs Offices), Zoll(fahndungs)ämter (Customs (Investigation) Offices), or the Generalzolldirektion (General Directorate of Customs). They can keep their specialized knowledge up-to-date through adaptive Weiterbildung (further training). The range of topics extends from customs clearance to public administration. With suitable qualifications, officers in the middle-level customs service have the opportunity to move to the next higher career level after a successful promotion procedure. With a Hochschulzugangsberechtigung (university entrance qualification), one can also pursue a Studium (university degree) and, for example, obtain a Bachelor's degree in State and Administrative Sciences.

Ordinance on the preparatory service for the federal middle-level non-technical customs service (MnTZollDVDV), published as Article 1 of the ordinance of 15.05.2017 (BGBl. I S. 1179), last amended by Article 2 Para. 19 of the ordinance of 11.03.2026 (BGBl. 2026 I Nr. 67).

A mittlerer Bildungsabschluss (intermediate school leaving certificate) or a Hauptschulabschluss (secondary school leaving certificate) in conjunction with a beneficial completed and at least two-year Ausbildung (vocational training) in a recognized occupation is generally required. Furthermore, the following are required for access to the Ausbildung: health suitability for the demands of the customs service (determined by a medical entrance examination), maximum age of 49 years, German Sports Badge (at least bronze), for deployment on a customs boat: nautical or mechanical engineering certificate of competency.