Elektronische Kommunikation

1. Provision of access

Legally-binding electronic communication with Kaiserslautern City Council occurs via a simple email (see paragraph 2) which does not require a specific form, unless a written form of document is exceptionally specified by law. If the written form is required, it can generally be replaced by form-bound electronic communication (see paragraph 3). So that we can efficiently handle your email, your full name and a postal address for delivery is required. If electronic communication (either in a specified or non-specified form) is opened, Kaiserslautern City Council will assume that all communication in relation to your current concerns can take place electronically, provided that legislation allows this. Communications from Kaiserslautern City Council to you will then be sent to the email address with which you started the communication process.

Please do not send Kaiserslautern City Council any electronic messages (emails), whose root content must be first retrieved or downloaded via a link from a website. Such messages – often colloquially referred to as "registered emails" – will not be retrieved by Kaiserslautern City Council for security reasons. In any case, a "registered email" does not constitute legally binding service; it does not correspond to service by registered letter.

You may also contact Kaiserslautern City Council via the communication pathways described in paragraphs 2 and 3 using the forms posted on the Kaiserslautern City Council website, which are available for download there, having completed themaccordingly. In addition, Kaiserslautern City Council will take receipt of the documents only in those file formats listed in paragraph 6. Emails must not exceed a file size of 25 megabytes, including file attachments. The following emails will not be accepted: emails that contain a virus or other malicious software or files that are provided with an unknown password; those attached as executable files (e.g. *.exe *.bat); or those which contain automated processes or programming (e.g. macros). Emails with commercial intentions (spam emails) will not be accepted here. In all these cases, you will receive no further communication from Kaiserslautern City Council.

2. Electronic Communication without a Specific Form Requirement

The following central email address is available for legally-binding electronic communication without a specific form requirement:

If you would like to make a request or process an administrative procedure, please use above email address for entire procedural correspondence. None of the other known email addresses of Kaiserslautern City Council, its units and services, nor the personal email addresses of the City Council staff or email contact forms provide access for legally-binding electronic communication with Kaiserslautern City Council. This applies even if you receive an electronic message from the personal mailbox of an employee of the City Council in the course of the procedure. Email addresses other than that mentioned above and other electronic access to Kaiserslautern City Council are available exclusively for non-binding requests and information.

If you want to be sure that your message reaches Kaiserslautern City Council, you can – as described in paragraph 4 – register for the rlp service within the virtual mailroom (German acronym: VPS) and send messages via the VPS. The same applies if you wish to receive a response from Kaiserslautern City Council via a data connection which protects against third-party access, instead of a simple transmission over the Internet.

3. Electronic Communication Bound to a Specific Form

A legally-binding electronic communication bound to a specific form is required when, by law, the written form is stipulated for the documents that you wish to submit to Kaiserslautern City Council. This is usually the case when a personal signature is required for certain documents, e.g. in filing an opposition. A handwritten signature may, unless the law requires otherwise, be replaced by a qualified electronic signature when transmitting a document electronically.

For sending email messages and attachments provided with a qualified electronic signature, the following email address is to be used, as for the electronic equivalents which do not require a specific form:

With regard to access provision, the preconditions and indications given under paragraphs 1 likewise apply.

Alternatively, after registering as a user of the rlp service in the virtual mailroom (VPS) (see paragraph 4), you may send Kaiserslautern City Council documents containing a qualified electronic signature  [1] directly from the VPS.

^[1] Note:
See Article 3 (12) of Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market and repealing Directive 1999/93/EC (OJ EU No. L 257 p. 73).

4. Optional: Registration for Use of the Virtual Mailroom (VPS)

Before sending a message, you may – voluntarily and free of charge – elect to register as a user of the virtual mailroom (VPS) within the rlp service. Sending messages to Kaiserslautern City Council whilst a registered user brings with it the advantage that you receive a detailed technical delivery confirmation (routing slip) and that security is guaranteed during the data transmission. To register, please select "Register rlp-Service" from the menu and follow the instructions. When you register, your address will be recorded. The VPS will then send you an activation link to the email address provided. Once activated, you will be able to use VPS for electronic communications with Kaiserslautern City Council and other local and state authorities in Rhineland-Palatinate, whether such communications have a requisite form or not. Data transmission occurs in a manner which is protected against third-party access. By registering, you agree to Kaiserslautern City Council and other state and local authorities sending you electronic messages to your VPS regarding your current concerns. To read these messages, you need to log on to VPS using the user data with which you have registered. For more information about the VPS as well as the conditions of use, see

5. Optional: Encryption of Documents

Regardless of any registration to the rlp-service (see paragraph 4), you may send encrypted messages to Kaiserslautern City Council to ensure confidentiality. This is especially recommended for the transfer of your personal data. For this purpose, a public encryption certificate from Kaiserslautern City Council mailroom is provided for you to encrypt your documents. It is in the download area under the "VPS" menu.

6. Supported File Formats and Signature Components

The file formats supported by Kaiserslautern City Council for legally-binding electronic communications (both those requiring a specific form and those which do not) and the signature components for electronic communications requiring a specific form can be found here:

in the download section under the "VPS" menu. With regard to electronic communications required a specific form, it is essential to check on the specified website as to whether the file you created with your signature software and signature card can be processed here. A legally-valid electronic signature can only be made using one of the supported signature cards.

7. Contact Person

If you have any questions about electronic communication with Kaiserslautern City Council, so you can contact our Department of Information and Communication (German acronym: IuK) by email

iuk@kaiserslautern.de

8. Legal Information

Kaiserslautern City Council does not warrant that the system for receiving the emails you send will always be technically available. Claims for damages against Kaiserslautern City Council are excluded, except in the case of intent or gross negligence. General data protection regulations apply to the processing of your personal data.