German attorney bills often combine RVG rules, fee agreements, and VAT. Everhour keeps approved legal work tied to budgets.
Track billable vs. non-billable time and see your real utilization rate and revenue potential in seconds.
Working hours in the period
Admin, meetings, internal work
Industry average is 75–80%
The calculator gives you the number — Everhour takes it from there.
One click and you're timing. Start a timer, add an entry, edit the details. This is exactly how it feels in Everhour.
Set a budget, assign rates, and get alerted before you're over.
Measurement
Track your budget through time or costs
Every report you need — configured your way, always up to date.
Tracked hours flow straight into a polished invoice — no copy-paste, no manual math.
A legal billing calculation in Germany answers a narrower question than "hours times rate." It shows the invoice value for approved work under a remuneration agreement, usually in euros, and it separates the net fee from VAT where VAT applies. That distinction matters because Germany's standard VAT rate is 19%, while qualifying small entrepreneurs can have VAT-exempt taxable domestic supplies under the listed turnover limits.
The calculation does not replace the RVG. In Germany, lawyer remuneration is calculated either under the Lawyers' Remuneration Act or under an agreed remuneration arrangement between lawyer and client. For civil matters under the RVG, statutory attorney fees generally come from matter value and legal activity, not hours worked. For court representation, agreed attorney fees generally cannot be lower than the statutory RVG amount.
Start by identifying the billing basis before doing arithmetic. If the matter is billed under the RVG, the inputs are matter value, activity, applicable schedule numbers, expenses, and advances. If the matter uses an hourly fee agreement, use approved hours, agreed hourly rates, non-billable exclusions, reimbursable expenses, discounts, and VAT treatment. Mixing RVG statutory fees with hourly entries creates a bill that is hard to defend.
A German attorney remuneration agreement must be in text form, clearly identified and separated from other agreements except the engagement itself, and it may not be included in the power of attorney. If no fee agreement exists and the client is a consumer, the first attorney consultation fee is capped at €190 plus VAT; other advice or a written legal opinion is capped at €250 plus VAT.
For an hourly German legal bill, multiply each approved time category by its agreed rate, add the line totals, then apply VAT only when VAT applies. For example, 37 approved senior lawyer hours at €180 per hour equal €6,660. Another 22 approved associate hours at €115 per hour equal €2,530. The net fee is €9,190.
At the 19% German standard VAT rate, VAT on €9,190 is €1,746.10, making the gross client total €10,936.10. A Germany-based small entrepreneur's taxable domestic supplies are VAT-exempt if total turnover did not exceed €25,000 in the previous calendar year and does not exceed €100,000 in the current calendar year; that is an exemption, not a 0% VAT rate.
A one-off calculation is enough when you have a signed hourly arrangement, approved time entries, agreed rates, known VAT status, and a single invoice to prepare. It also works for checking whether a consumer consultation stays within the €190 plus VAT or €250 plus VAT caps when no fee agreement exists. The output should show net fees, VAT, expenses, advances, and gross total.
A managed workflow becomes necessary when several lawyers work on the same matter, rates change by person or phase, budgets reset monthly, or client approvals affect what gets billed. Everhour Project Budgeting supports time and money budgets, recurring budget periods, budget alerts, budget protection, expense inclusion controls, multiple billing methods, and client-level budgets, so approved work stays connected to the agreed commercial limits.
This content is for general information only, may not be fully up to date, and is provided without any warranty or liability.
High Performer
G2
Summer 2026
Best Ease Of Use
Capterra
Summer 2026
Rated in the top time trackers across G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius — with consistent praise for ease of use, integrations, and support.
You need the agreed billing basis, approved hours, hourly rates by person or task, non-billable exclusions, reimbursable expenses, advances, discounts, and VAT treatment. If the matter is not under an hourly fee agreement, use the RVG method instead: matter value, activity, statutory fee table inputs, applicable schedule numbers, and expenses.
RVG billing applies when remuneration is determined under the Lawyers' Remuneration Act instead of a separate fee agreement. For civil matters under the RVG, statutory attorney fees generally depend on matter value and legal activity, not hours worked. For court representation, an agreed fee generally cannot be lower than the statutory RVG amount.
Add German VAT when the attorney supply is taxable and no exemption applies. Germany's standard VAT rate is 19%, and attorney fees are stated as amounts plus VAT where applicable. Do not add VAT for a Germany-based small entrepreneur whose taxable domestic supplies meet the €25,000 prior-year and €100,000 current-year exemption limits.
A lawyer may demand remuneration only on the basis of a text-form calculation. The calculation must state individual fees and expenses, advances, fee descriptions, applicable RVG schedule numbers, and the matter value where value-based fees apply. For hourly arrangements, keep the signed remuneration agreement and approved time records with the invoice support.
Payment timing matters after the invoice is due and received. A debtor on a payment claim is in default at the latest if payment is not made within 30 days after due date and receipt of an invoice or equivalent payment statement. For consumers, the invoice must specifically warn of this consequence.
Everhour Project Budgeting lets teams set time or money budgets for legal work, including recurring budget periods and client-level budgets. Budget alerts and budget protection help administrators see when approved work approaches the agreed limit before the matter turns into an overrun.
Everhour Billing & Invoicing converts tracked billable time and expenses into invoices. Invoice amounts are calculated from billable time, project or member rates, and billable expenses while excluding non-billable work, then invoices can be exported to QuickBooks Online, Xero, or FreshBooks.
Set budgets before work starts, review approved time against the matter terms, and keep billing handoffs consistent. Everhour connects legal time, budgets, and invoice preparation in one workflow.
14-day free trial · No credit card · Cancel anytime
