Overview
- From 10 July 2027, EU-wide anti‑money‑laundering rules require customer identification for cash payments starting at about €3,000 and prohibit single cash payments above €10,000.
- Private person‑to‑private person sales are reported as an exception to the €10,000 ban, and member states may impose stricter national limits.
- Holding any amount of cash remains legal in Germany, but larger cash transactions will trigger documentation duties and, at higher levels, proof of funds.
- In Germany, adding surcharges for consumer card payments has been illegal since 13 January 2018 (§270a BGB), though merchants may choose which payment methods they accept if disclosed before purchase.
- Practical rules persist: merchants can refuse large‑denomination notes for stated reasons, card‑network contracts often bar minimums for card transactions, and trade groups cite limits on accepting excessive coin quantities.