Questions and Answers
Payout process
Everyone who has their main residence registered in Austria for at least 183 days in the relevant year will receive the Klimabonus – as long as they are legally resident and regardless of origin or citizenship. The majority of people have already received it.
For some groups of EU citizens or third-country nationals, there are currently still some problems with the automated entitlement check by the Ministry of the Interior.
Every effort is being taken to find a solution, please bear with us.
You will receive your payment for 2022 in the second wave of payments starting February 2023.
Don’t worry, individual cases are still being processed. The following holds true: If you are eligible, you will receive the Klimabonus whatever happens. You will receive it in the second payment wave in February 2023 at the latest.
Possible causes for the delay:
Relocation: If you moved to Austria in the first half of 2022, the requirement of 183 days of main residence could not yet be fulfilled when the data was requested in July. You will therefore receive the Klimabonus in the second wave from February 2023.
Newborns: Babies whose main residence is registered in Austria for 183 days by 31 December of the relevant year are entitled to the Klimabonus. If the baby was born in the first half of the year, this requirement was not yet met when the data was collected in July. The Klimabonus for the baby will therefore be paid in the second wave from February 2023.
For some groups of EU citizens or third-country nationals, there were problems with the automated eligibility check by the Ministry of the Interior. In this case, you will also receive the Klimabonus in the second payment wave starting in February 2023.
Any letter that has not been collected will be returned to us after 3 Mondays, marked as undeliverable. Your right to claim your Klimabonus does not expire as a result. You can contact us after the end of the collection period using the web form on klimabonus.gv.at or on 0800 8000 80 to discuss the next steps. We need the following information from you:
A description of the situation
Your personal data (name and date of birth as a minimum)
A copy of your photo ID
Your IBAN
The Kilmabonus for 2022 will be paid out by mid-October if you had your main residence registered in Austria for 183 days in the first half of the year. If you only moved to Austrian during the course of 2022, then the bonus will be paid out after the end of the year, in February 2023.
Have you entered your bank details in FinanzOnline? Then the money will arrive quickly in your account in September or October 2022.
Otherwise the Klimabonus will come as a voucher directly to your home. It will be sent as an RSa letter to ensure maximum security. It will take several weeks before all the vouchers are sent. This guarantees that all vouchers are delivered safely.
The Klimabonus is not transferred alphabetically, or by region or household affiliation, but in the order in which the Ministry of Climate Protection receives the data from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Interior.
You automatically receive the Klimabonus if you meet the requirements. It is paid to everyone who has their main residence in Austria for at least 183 days in the respective year.
In principle, you get the Klimabonus once a year without having to do anything. However, there are two ways in which the money can be paid out:
Option 1: Bank transfer to your account
If your account details are available and up to date, the money will be transferred to this account. This is possible:
If your current bank details are entered into FinanzOnline. The bank details consist of the international bank account number (IBAN) for your account. You can find the IBAN on your bank card or by asking your bank.
If you receive family allowance for your child or children and the family allowance is transferred to your account. Then you will receive the Klimabonus for your child or children to the same account.
If you are a pensioner and your pension is transferred to your account.
Please check today whether your bank details are correct at FinanzOnline. Then the Klimabonus can simply be transferred to your account.
FinanzOnline is an internet platform where applications and forms can be easily submitted to the tax office online. To register for FinanzOnline, you need a login code, the citizen card or your smartphone signature. You can apply for these at the tax office.
Option 2: Klimabonus arrives by post in an RSa letter
Everyone for whom there are no current bank details will receive an RSa letter with the Klimabonus. An RSa letter is a letter from an authority. It may only be handed over in person to the recipient. If the postal worker does not find you at home, you can pick up the letter at your post office with an ID card.
No, you do not have to register with FinanzOnline to get the Klimabonus. But you can register with FinanzOnline and enter your bank details if you want the Klimabonus to be transferred directly to your account.
The deadline for 2022 has already expired. If you want the Klimabonus to be transferred directly to your account from 2023, you can register now with FinanzOnline and provide your bank details.
A bank account consists of the IBAN. You can find your IBAN on your bank card or ask your bank.
Here is the link to register for FinanzOnline.
Every person with a main residence registered in Austria for 183 days in the relevant year is legally entitled to the Klimabonus.
This entitlement does not expire if the person dies. In this case, the Klimabonus – like all of the person’s other income – passes directly to their estate. This is administered by a notary until the inheritance is transferred. So it is not necessary to return the Klimabonus.
Only data updated after 1 January 2020 or used by the Ministry of Finance for a payment will be used. In addition, the data must be marked "FON" (Finanzonline) or "FBH" ("Familienbeihilfe") to ensure that the accounts are those of private individuals. Accounts of persons running a small business are sometimes marked in a different way. In these cases, the Ministry of Climate Protection does not have any account data for the payment of the Klimabonus. This is why these people are sent vouchers by post.
Around 7.4 million bank transfers and 1.2 million in vouchers have been sent by post between August and October. That is 300,000 transfers a day and around 60,000 vouchers.
The individual vouchers are each worth EUR 50, so there are ten separate vouchers in each voucher pack or five for those aged under 18.
All agencies with the requisite data share it with the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology. The Klimabonus Act permits the sharing of this data.
For example:
As the processor for the domicile registration authorities, the Ministry of the Interior makes the registration data available. This allows us to determine the person's main residence.
The Ministry for Finance provides the international bank account number and any data related to family allowances.
The Social Ministry Service provides data related to any mobility limitations of people registered as disabled.
The Pension Insurance Institution provides bank account data.
General questions
The Klimabonus is a bonus payment and direct compensation for the new CO₂ price.
All citizens in Austria receive the Klimabonus. It is paid out automatically once a year. For 2022, adults receive EUR 500 per person. Children and young people under the age of 18 receive half, i.e. EUR 250 per child.
The Anti-Teuerungsbonus is a one-time payment in addition to the Klimabonus. This additional payment is a direct relief measure for the people in Austria. In 2022, all eligible persons over the age of 18 will receive €500: a €250 Klimabonus and a €250 Anti-Teuerungsbonus. Children and young people get half.
No, the Anti-Teuerugsbonus is only for 2022. From 2023 onwards, the Klimabonus will be paid out depending on the place of residence. The exact amount of the Klimabonus for 2023 is still to be determined and will be based on changes in the CO2 price.
The CO₂ price will come into force in Austria on 1 October 2022. It is part of the “Eco-social Tax Reform”. And it is important for climate protection. In this way, a price will be put on climate-damaging CO₂. This is intended as an incentive to emit less CO₂.
The money raised through the CO₂ price is passed on to people through the Klimabonus. The Klimabonus is intended to motivate people to switch to climate-friendly alternatives. However, it also serves as compensation for people who are not yet able to switch to such alternatives.
CO₂ or carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas and is produced when generating electricity and heat, by traffic, in industry, but also in private households – everywhere where oil and gas are still needed as an energy source. An increase in CO₂ in the atmosphere is considered one of the main drivers of global warming and manmade climate change.
CO₂ is therefore one of the causes of global warming and climate change. A tax on CO₂ makes climate-damaging behaviour more expensive.
Everyone whose main residence is in Austria for at least 183 days in the claim year receives the Klimabonus – regardless of age or origin or citizenship.
The ‘claim year’ is the year for which the Klimabonus is paid.
Yes, provided your main residence was registered in Austria for at least 183 days in 2022.
You can redeem the voucher at over 10,000 acceptance points throughout Austria.
You can exchange the voucher for cash with our banking partner bank 99. You can find a list of branches at bank99.at/standorte.
Yes. The Klimabonus is also paid to people who are registered as unemployed.
No. The Klimabonus is not offset against other state benefits such as minimum income. The Klimabonus in no way affects your entitlement to any state benefits.
The anti-inflation bonus will result in a one-time increase of the Klimabonus in 2022. This will then consist of a base amount of €250 and the anti-inflation bonus of €250. People with very high incomes are less affected by inflation. That’s why those who earn more than €90,000 in the year of entitlement will also pay income tax on their €250 anti-inflation bonus.
Yes, refugees also receive the Klimabonus. The requirements for this are:
that they are staying in Austria legally, i.e. not illegally,
that they have their main residence in Austria for at least 183 days.
Vouchers that are not redeemed by their expiry date will be refunded to the Ministry and used for subsequent Klimabonus payments.
Questions about the amount of the Klimabonus
For 2022, each citizen receives EUR 500 and children under 18 receive half of that amount, i.e. EUR 250.
The Klimabonus has been increased for the year 2022 to offer people in Austria support against the current wave of inflation. For the year 2022, all eligible persons over the age of 18 will receive €500. Children and young people will receive half.
No. From 2023, the Klimabonus will be staggered on a regional basis, as originally planned. The way this works is addressed in the following questions.
The amount of the Klimabonus for 2023 and the years thereafter will be determined first. This will be based on changes in the CO2 price in order to be able to offer targeted relief.
From 2023 onwards, the Klimabonus will be paid out in a way that balances regional variation.
The Klimabonus will then consist of two elements:
a fixed basic amount, also known as the base amount.
an additional regional allowance. The amount of regional compensation depends on where you have your main residence.
The basic amount is the same for everyone in Austria. The basic amount is intended to offset higher costs in housing and consumption.
Regional compensation takes regional differences into account: In regions with poorer infrastructure and less public transport, the regional compensation is higher. People in these regions have to spend more money on getting around. The regional compensation is intended to cover these costs. The final amount of your Klimabonus is made up of the basic amount and the regional compensation.
People with disabilities who cannot use public transport receive the basic amount and the full amount of the regional compensation. For this purpose, your disability pass must show that the ‘use of public transport is unreasonable due to a permanent mobility restriction caused by a disability’.
The amount of the Klimabonus for 2023 and the years thereafter will be determined first. This will be based on changes in the CO2 price in order to be able to offer targeted relief.
The different amounts of the Klimabonus result from regional differences. There are four categories of regions. These differ in how good the infrastructure is: How far away is the nearest primary school? Are there public offices nearby? Where is the nearest hospital? Public transport is also important: Is there any public transport in the region? What public transport is there and how extensive is it? How often does public transport run?
The four categories were created by Statistics Austria. Statistics Austria is the statistical office of the Republic of Austria. It collects, analyses and publishes official statistics for Austria.
The four categories:
Category 1: Urban centres with very good infrastructure and very good public transport facilities. Vienna falls into category 1. How much is the Klimabonus in category 1 regions? The regional compensation is 0 percent of the base amount.
Category 2: Urban centres with good infrastructure and good public transport facilities. Category 2 includes, for example, Graz, Salzburg, Klagenfurt or St. Pölten. How much is the Klimabonus in category 2 regions? The regional compensation is 33 percent of the base amount.
Category 3: Urban centres and the surrounding areas of centres with basic public transport facilities or good basic public transport facilities. Category 3 includes, for example, Groß-Enzersdorf, Wolfsberg or Mittersill. How much is the Klimabonus in category 3 regions? The regional compensation is 66 percent of the base amount.
Category 4: Rural communities and communities with only basic public transport facilities. Category 4 includes, for example, Mariazell, Werfen or Sölden. How much is the Klimabonus in category 4 regions? The regional compensation is 100 percent of the base amount.
No. How much you earn has no impact on the Klimabonus.
In 2022, the Klimabonus will be a flat rate of €500 euros due to inflation.
From 2023, the amount of the Klimabonus will depend on the main place of residence (more information coming soon on this website). However, it is already clear that people with disabilities who cannot use public transport will always receive the full amount of the Klimabonus. For this purpose, pursuant to Section 40 et seq. of the Federal Disability Act, the disability pass must state that the ‘use of public transport is unreasonable due to a permanent mobility restriction caused by a disability’, or the citizen must hold a parking permit pursuant to Section 29b of the Road Traffic Act 1960. This also applies to persons under 18 years of age.
No. Personal CO₂ consumption does not play a role in the amount of the Klimabonus, but climate-friendly behaviour makes more of the bonus available. After all, climate-damaging activities are becoming more expensive due to the CO₂ price.
Children and young people
Yes. The Klimabonus is paid to all people who have their main residence in Austria for at least 183 days in the respective year.
This means: Babies from the age of 183 days who are registered in Austria with their main residence for 183 days by 31 December of the year of entitlement are already entitled to the Klimabonus. If the baby was born in the first half of the year, this requirement had not been fulfilled when the data was processed in July. The Klimabonus for the baby will therefore be paid in February 2023.
Children who have not yet turned 18 in the year for which the Klimabonus is paid out receive half the Klimabonus. The Klimabonus is paid to the person to whom the family allowance is also paid.
As soon as the child is of age, the Klimabonus is paid directly into the child’s account or delivered as a voucher with RSa letter to their main residence.
If your child turns 18 in the year for which the Klimabonus is paid, s/he will receive the entire Klimabonus and not just half. The Klimabonus is transferred to your child’s account or sent as a voucher with an RSa letter.
If you receive family allowance for your child and the child is not yet 18 years old in the year of entitlement, the Klimabonus for the child will be transferred to the specified account to which the family allowance is also paid. If you do not receive family allowance, the Klimabonus will be paid directly to your child, either to his/her account or as a voucher by RSa letter.
If parents do not receive family allowance for children under 18, the Klimabonus is sent as a voucher with an RSa letter.
CO₂ price
The CO₂ price is a pricing of carbon dioxide emissions. CO₂ or carbon dioxide is produced when generating electricity and heat, by traffic, in industry, but also in private households. CO₂ is a greenhouse gas and one of the causes of global warming and climate change.
The CO₂ price increases the price of carbon dioxide. The aim of the CO₂ tax is to promote environmentally friendly behaviour and reduce the impact of CO₂ emissions on the climate, e.g. global warming.
The CO₂ price will be introduced in Austria on 1 October 2022. It is an important part of the Eco-social Tax Reform presented by the Austrian government in October 2021.
The CO₂ price in 2022 is €30 per tonne of CO₂. By 2025, the price will rise to €55 per tonne of CO₂. If the CO₂ price rises, the Klimabonus automatically rises too. The revenue from the CO₂ tax goes directly back to the citizens in the form of the Klimabonus.
Data protection
Family name and first name
Date of birth
The address of the person’s main residence
Encrypted personal identifiers specific for each area. Area-specific personal identifiers are created by an authority for the secure management of data. If other authorities then require area-specific personal identifiers for data processing for eGovernment services, the personal identifiers are passed on in encrypted form. E-government services are services provided by public authorities that citizens can access via the Internet. FinanzOnline, for example, is the e-government platform of the tax authorities. Which encrypted area-specific personal identification numbers (vbPK) are important in connection with the Klimabonus? For Society and Social Affairs (vbPK-GS), Taxes and Duties (vbPK-SA), Social Security (vbPK-SV), Transport and Technology (vbPK-VT), Personal Identity and Civil Rights (vbPK-ZP)
International bank account number (IBAN)
Data on family allowances and
Data of persons with disabilities who show a valid entry of ‘use of public transport is unreasonable due to a permanent mobility restriction caused by a disability’.
All agencies with the requisite data transmit it to the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology. The Klimabonus Act allows this data to be passed on.
For example:
The Federal Ministry of the Interior provides registration data. This can be used to determine a person’s main place of residence.
The Federal Ministry of Finance provides the international account number and data relating to family allowances.
The Ministry of Social Affairs provides data related to reduced mobility of persons with disabilities.
The pension insurance firms provide account data.
Yes. Compliance is naturally upheld for all applicable provisions on data protection. The Klimabonus Act allows the Federal Ministry for Climate Action to process all data necessary for the payment of the Klimabonus. The data is managed in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act (Federal Law Gazette I No. 165/1999) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union.
Personal data is only processed if it is absolutely necessary: The principle of data minimisation from the General Data Protection Regulation must be observed. The principle of data minimisation means: Only the data that is necessary for the respective purpose shall be processed. The data security measures laid down in the General Data Protection Regulation are also observed.