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Who pays to remove a hornet nest in Germany?

In short

Who pays? In Germany the owner pays to remove a hornet nest from a house, and in a rented flat the landlord pays. A specialist usually charges EUR 150 to 330, and the local nature conservation authority must agree first. Buildings insurance only pays with a home assistance add-on (Schutzbrief), up to EUR 1,000 per case in newer terms.

Who pays to remove a hornet nest in Germany?

What it costs

What removing a hornet nest costs in Germany and what insurance and authorities contribute, based on published information, as of 2026.

ExampleTypical range
Relocation or removal by specialistsabout EUR 150 to 330
Permission to relocate (Nuremberg example)EUR 0
Permission to remove (Nuremberg example)EUR 50 administrative fee
Schutzbrief benefit per case (2026 terms)up to EUR 1,000
Nest destroyed without permissionfine of up to EUR 50,000

Without emergency surcharges; evenings, weekends and hard to reach nests cost more.

Each authority sets its own fees.

The bill in the example is a guide value from our quoting practice (Richtwert aus der

Angebotspraxis).

Your Schutzbrief may have other limits; we obtain the exact quote.

Worked example

Detached house, nest in the shutter box by the children's room

In July a family finds a hornet nest in the shutter box. Their Schutzbrief has been running for two years, and the nest is new.

Advice from the nature conservation authorityEUR 0
Permission to relocateEUR 0
Specialist with ladder, relocationabout EUR 280
Schutzbrief benefitup to EUR 1,000 per case

With the Schutzbrief the family pays nothing. Without it they pay the roughly EUR 280 themselves, because buildings insurance alone does not pay.

Who pays in which situation

It depends on who owns the building. In your own house you pay yourself or through your Schutzbrief. In a rented flat, section 535 (1) of the German Civil Code (BGB) requires the landlord to keep the flat in a usable condition during the tenancy. A nest in the shutter box next to the children's room is therefore the landlord's job.

As a tenant, report the nest in writing with a photo and agree who will hire the specialist. Do not simply hire one yourself, or you may end up arguing about the bill.

SituationWho pays
Nest on your own detached houseyou or your Schutzbrief
Nest on a rented flatthe landlord
Nest in the garden of your houseyou, often covered by a Schutzbrief
Buildings insurance without Schutzbriefnobody, the basic cover does not pay
Nest existed before the policy startedyou, the Schutzbrief usually does not pay
Asian horneta specialist is needed, costs as for other nests

Why buildings insurance alone does not pay

Buildings insurance (Wohngebäudeversicherung) pays for damage from fire, burst pipes, storm and hail, and natural hazards if added. A hornet nest rarely causes such damage, so the basic cover pays nothing.

A home assistance add-on (Haus- und Wohnungsschutzbrief) can pay. Published terms from 2026 cover professional removal or relocation up to EUR 1,000 per case, but only if the nest appeared after the policy started, you did not know about it before and the measure is legally allowed. Another insurer expressly does not pay if species protection forbids removal.

What nature protection law requires

The European hornet is specially protected. Section 44 (1) of the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG) forbids killing such animals or destroying their breeding sites. Removing a hornet nest therefore always needs permission from the local nature conservation authority (Untere Naturschutzbehörde). Acting without permission risks a fine of up to EUR 50,000 under section 69 BNatSchG.

The authority first checks whether the nest can stay. Often advice is enough, usually free of charge. If the nest has to go, relocation by specialists is the rule. The fire brigade only comes when there is immediate danger to life and health.

Special case: the Asian hornet

The Asian hornet is not protected. It has been on the EU list of invasive species since 2016. Still report a nest to the Untere Naturschutzbehörde and have it removed by specialists so that the protected native species is not hit by mistake.

The costs follow the same rules as for other nests: owner or landlord pays, and a Schutzbrief can step in if its conditions are met.

When you need to do nothing at all

Hornets only attack near their nest. If you keep at least two metres away, a nest in the shed or under the eaves is often no problem. In autumn the colony leaves the nest, queen and workers die, and only young queens overwinter elsewhere.

Tolerating a nest until autumn costs nothing and needs no permission. It is worth it if nobody in the household is allergic and the nest is not right next to a door or window.

Step by step

  1. Keep your distance and leave windows near the nest closed.
  2. Check whether they are hornets or wasps, ideally with a photo.
  3. Call the Untere Naturschutzbehörde or a hornet advice service.
  4. As a tenant, inform your landlord in writing.
  5. Check whether your policy includes a Schutzbrief and report the case before hiring anyone.
  6. Only hire a specialist once permission is given.

Checklist

  • Photo of the nest and the insects
  • Permission from the Untere Naturschutzbehörde
  • Schutzbrief in the policy and limit per case known
  • Nest appeared after the policy started
  • Specialist's invoice kept
  • As a tenant: written notice to the landlord

Common mistakes

  • Destroying the nest yourself with spray or fire
  • Hiring a company before the authority has agreed
  • Taking out the Schutzbrief once the nest is already there
  • Hiring someone as a tenant without agreement and being left with the bill

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Does buildings insurance pay to remove a hornet nest?

Only with a home assistance add-on (Schutzbrief).

The basic cover does not pay.

May I remove a hornet nest myself?

No.

Hornets are specially protected.

Removal always needs permission from the Untere Naturschutzbehörde and belongs in the hands of

specialists.

Does my landlord have to remove the hornet nest?

Yes, if it interferes with the use of the flat.

The landlord must keep the rented property in a usable condition.

Will the fire brigade come for a hornet nest?

Only if there is immediate danger to life and health.

Otherwise a specialist is responsible.

How much does the permission cost?

Each authority sets its own fees.

In Nuremberg relocation is free and removal costs EUR 50.

What applies to the Asian hornet?

It is not protected, but should still be reported to the authority and removed by specialists.

Will the hornets come back next year?

The colony dies in autumn, only young queens overwinter elsewhere.

Whether a new one settles nearby cannot be predicted.

Sources

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