Last updated: November 9, 2026
Is ELSTER down? User reports show no current problems with ELSTER
ELSTER is the official tax portal of the German tax offices at elster.de. People use Mein ELSTER to file tax returns online, send forms to their tax office, and read messages and notices in a secure mailbox.
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ELSTER problems reported in the last 24 hours
Most reported problems
All quiet. No issues reported in the last 24 hours.
Your feedback
How would you rate ELSTER over the past 3 months?
Most reported locations
Where ELSTER reports are coming from in the last 24 hours.
No problem locations to show yet. ELSTER looks fine right now. Locations appear here as soon as users submit reports.
Latest ELSTER user reports
No reports yet — be the first to report a problem above.
ELSTER outage history
The live report status for ELSTER, updated as reports come in.
Good news. ELSTER has no reported problems right now. If it is not working for you, report it above and your report will appear here.
ELSTER uptime and reports
Live report counts and the day by day record for the last 30 days.
User reports received in each period.
Last 30 days, day by day: 11 October 2026 to 9 November 2026
Green: up. Red: outage. Amber: some checks failed. Grey: no record yet.
The daily record builds from today as our checks run. Grey days have no saved record yet. A red day marks a confirmed outage.
Get ELSTER down alerts
Leave your email and we will tell you when ELSTER is having problems. One email per outage, no spam.
ELSTER on social media
An early signal from outside our site, watched in rotation.
Posts on Bluesky saying ELSTER is down. Checked 8 November 2026, 7:30 PM PKT.
Quiet right now. Nobody on Bluesky is saying ELSTER is down.
- @attentionelsewhere.bsky.social 5 May, 6:45 AM PKT
In our second (and final!) Signalis episode, we discuss Adler who has plagued—and charmed—us since pushing poor Elster down the elevator shaft. Best read as a foil to Elster, he is both perpetrator and victim—his fate de
Guides that can fix it
Step by step fixes for the problems people report most.
→ Is It Down for Me or Everyone? The Four-Step Check
→ Login Problems That Are Not an Outage
→ How to Clear the Cache in Firefox, Safari and Edge
Is ELSTER down right now?
ELSTER seems to be working as usual for most people. The live ELSTER status here rests on user reports sent in all day. A burst of ELSTER down reports is the first sign of a wider fault.
Most user reports sit at the login door. The portal rejects the certificate file, an old copy stops working, or activation ends with a browser error.
Is ELSTER down for me or everyone?
Try a second browser on the same computer. If the portal opens there, the fault sits with the first browser. If the site fails everywhere and reports climb here, a wider ELSTER outage is likely. Users ask is ELSTER down for me at the login step most.
What makes the login reject my certificate file?
Login needs the certificate file and its password. Many users keep several copies in the downloads folder and pick an old one. After each renewal or password change, only the newest file works. Pick the newest copy and do not open it by hand.
An expired file blocks sign in at once, and no password try fixes it. Renewal starts inside the account before the validity limit ends.
How do I fix activation failing with status code 405?
New accounts meet this code at the activation step most. It is a browser fault, not a portal fault. An old browser build or Safari triggers it often. Update the browser or switch to Chrome or Firefox, then enter the activation data again.
Why does ElsterSecure not respond?
Login with the ElsterSecure app stalls when the app build is old. The portal waits for a tap that never lands. Update the app, then start the login again from the portal page. If the phone with the app is lost, remove its link inside the account first.
What stops my form from sending?
The form check stops a return when a field is wrong or empty, and the send button stays shut until the marks clear. When sending hangs, wait before a second try, since a return can still go through.
Common ELSTER Problems and Fixes
Most ELSTER faults sit in the file, the browser or the app. Work through the fixes below first.
Wrong certificate file at login
Open the downloads folder and count the certificate copies. Pick the newest file, not the first one in the list. After a renewal, delete old copies so the mistake cannot repeat.
Certificate has expired
Sign in stays closed until access is renewed. Start the renewal from the login page links and follow the letter steps. Save the new file in one clear folder when it arrives.
Status code 405 in the browser
Update your browser to the newest build. If the code stays, switch from Safari to Chrome or Firefox for the activation step. Your activation data stays valid after the failed try.
ElsterSecure stays silent at login
Update the ElsterSecure app on your phone. Then close the portal tab and start the login again. Keep the phone screen lit while the portal waits for your tap.
Form check blocks the send button
Open the check list and jump to each marked field. Fix the value or fill the empty box. The send button opens once every mark in the list clears.
Having a problem with ELSTER?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does ELSTER reject my certificate file?
Most users pick an old copy from the downloads folder. After a renewal or password change, only the newest file works. An expired file blocks login too, until access is renewed.
How do I prove my return was sent?
Open the sent items in your account and load the transfer record for the return. It lists the return, the tax office and the send state. Save or print it for your files.
Is ELSTER down when the login page loads but sign in fails?
Not always. A loaded page with a failed sign in points at your file or browser. Test a second browser. If the page itself fails everywhere, check reports here.
Does a failed activation use up my activation data?
No. Browser errors like status code 405 do not burn the activation data. Update the browser or switch to Chrome and enter the same data again.
Can I still log in after losing my certificate file?
Not with that file. Start the access renewal from the login page and follow the letter steps. Drafts saved in the old account do not move to a new account.
What should I do when ElsterSecure does not react?
Update the app first, since old builds are the main cause here. Restart the login from a fresh portal tab. Keep the phone screen on during the check.