File reference number

The cases received by the Federal Administrative Court are assigned a file reference number. The case is heard under this file reference number, and all procedural documents must be added to this file. The parties concerned must state the file reference number when corresponding with the Court to facilitate assignment of documents to the case.

The file reference number is composed of several parts. It begins with the abbreviation ‘BVerwG’ followed by the number of the senate responsible for the proceedings. It is followed by the register reference that uses an abbreviation comprising one or several letters to state the type of proceedings. For instance, proceedings at first instance use the letter 'A', while non-admission complaints are designated 'B', proceedings of appeals on points of law 'C' and applications for the approval of legal aid 'PKH'. After the register reference is the serial number of the case in the register. The final entry in the file reference number, separated by a dot, is the last two digits of the year in which the case was received.

Example: The file reference number ‘BVerwG 6 C 12.17’ states that responsibility for the proceedings is assigned to the 6th Senate, and that it is the twelfth appeal on points of law proceedings received in 2017.