1 February 2020 - Eight years of authority numbers in Chemnitz
1 February marks the eighth anniversary of the public authority number 115. In 2012, it was officially launched and put into operation with a symbolic call by the mayor responsible, Miko Runkel. Since then, 328,868 calls have reached the city's service centre via the authority number. The top topics answered on the phone every day include applying for ID cards and passports, changing residence and re-registering or cancelling motor vehicles.
Nationwide, over 550 municipalities, 13 federal states and the federal administration with 88 federal authorities are currently participating in 115. The public authority number can be reached nationwide and also from abroad using the country code. Telephone enquiries from citizens are accepted Monday to Friday from 8 am to 6 pm.
Whether it's about registering a new vehicle, obtaining a certificate of good conduct, a lost key, a new birth certificate or questions about school enrolment, 115 is always the right number to call. As the first point of contact for all official questions, citizens receive a quick and reliable answer. Regardless of which authority or administrative level is responsible, the service centre staff will do the research. In this way, 115 supplements the citizen service provided by the municipal offices by telephone.
Despite digital media, the telephone is a popular means of communication. Requests are easier to formulate than in a letter or e-mail, questions are answered directly and enquiries can be made immediately.
The 115 is a voluntary programme jointly run by the federal, state and local authorities. The 115 is financed by the federal and state governments. The local authorities provide the decentralised local infrastructure. All participants provide information in a joint knowledge database. 52 municipal service centres throughout Germany provide information on all levels of administration.
A joint service promise by all participants enables the administration to be contacted via 115 nationwide at standardised service times with comprehensive customer service at all times. In Saxony, the cities of Leipzig and Chemnitz operate their own municipal service centres. Through mutual cooperation, networking and support, 115 is a good example of cross-level and inter-municipal cooperation.