A civil servant on revocable appointment (Beamter auf Widerruf) is the status under which many trainee lawyers and teachers serve during their preparatory service. The term sounds like a threat, but it describes a regulated civil service relationship with a specific purpose. This guide explains what it means and what consequences it has for pay, Beihilfe and health insurance.
Short answer: A civil servant on revocable appointment holds a civil service relationship that serves a preparatory service or a temporary task. The legal basis is § 4 para. 4 of the Federal Civil Service Status Act (Beamtenstatusgesetz), and the details are set out in state law. As a rule, Beihilfe for civil servants on revocable appointment without children is 50 percent, but Hesse deviates from this.
The essentials at a glance
- A civil servant on revocable appointment holds a civil service relationship for a preparatory service or a temporary task.
- The legal basis is § 4 para. 4 of the Beamtenstatusgesetz. State law sets out the details.
- During the traineeship this status is the usual one, not the exception.
- The status affects pay, Beihilfe and the choice of health insurance.
- What happens after the preparatory service depends on the appointment in your state.
What does the status mean exactly?
Under § 4 para. 4 of the Beamtenstatusgesetz, a civil service relationship on revocable appointment serves the completion of a preparatory service or the temporary performance of tasks. Unlike the civil service relationship for life (Beamtenverhältnis auf Lebenszeit), which is the rule, it is limited to a purpose from the outset.
What consequences does the status have for pay and Beihilfe?
As a civil servant on revocable appointment you receive trainee pay and not the full pay of a post. For Beihilfe, each state sets the reimbursement rate in its own Beihilfe regulation. As a rule, the rate is 50 percent for civil servants on revocable appointment without children, but you need to check the exact rate for your state there. Hesse deviates from this: according to the information sheet of the Kassel regional authority on the Hessian Beihilfe regulation, recipients of trainee pay get a uniform rate of 70 percent, and 85 percent for inpatient hospital treatment. More on Beihilfe during the traineeship can be found in Civil Servant Health Aid During Training: Rates and Claims.
How does the status affect health insurance?
Many civil servants on revocable appointment are insured through Beihilfe combined with private health insurance. Others remain statutorily insured, for example through family insurance or voluntary membership. Whether that suits you depends on age, family and federal state. Academycon offers a personal assessment, see How we work (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Is a civil servant on revocable appointment the same as a trainee?
In the preparatory service, usually yes. Trainee describes the training, while civil servant on revocable appointment describes the legal status. For teachers the term is often trainee teacher (Lehramtsanwärterin or Lehramtsanwärter).
How can the civil service relationship end?
The termination rules are set out in the Beamtenstatusgesetz, in particular §§ 22 and 23, and in state law. Questions about your case are answered by the personnel office of your employer.
Do I have to take care of Beihilfe myself?
Usually yes. You submit invoices and receipts to the Beihilfe office. The deadlines and procedure are set out in state law and on the website of your Beihilfe office.
Is the status the same in all federal states?
The basis is the Beamtenstatusgesetz, which applies nationwide. Pay, Beihilfe and procedures, however, are regulated by the states. Always compare with the law of your state.
What to do now
- Check your appointment certificate. It states the exact designation of your status.
- Read the Beihilfe regulation of your state to know your Beihilfe rate.
- Clarify with your health insurer which combination of Beihilfe and insurance suits you.
- Note the deadlines for Beihilfe applications and receipts.
Related reading
- Civil Servant Health Aid During Training: Rates and Claims
- Health insurance during clerkship: GKV, PKV and Beihilfe
- Referendariat: Anwärterbezüge nach Bundesland (in German)
- Health Insurance After the Trainee Period: What Comes Next
Sources: § 4 BeamtStG, Act Governing the Status Rights of Civil Servants in the Länder (gesetze-im-internet.de) (in German), Federal Civil Service Status Act (BeamtStG), full text (gesetze-im-internet.de) (in German), Regierungspräsidium Kassel, information sheet on the Hessian Beihilfe regulation, section 2.6 (in German) (accessed October 2026).
Stand: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
