Short Answer
A standard public insurance prescription (eRezept) expires exactly 28 days after the date of issue.
Once this window closes, the code is rejected by pharmacies and cannot be used to obtain medication.
What Most Expats Don't Realize
You left your eRezept code in your inbox and waited until your symptoms flared up again a month later to visit the pharmacy. The pharmacist scanned your card and told you it was "abgelaufen" (expired). You lost a full day of work because you let a simple 28-day deadline pass on your eRezept.
What To Do
- Download the date of issue from the top of the prescription into your calendar the moment you get it.
- Take the prescription to any "Apotheke" within 24 hours of your doctor's visit to ensure the medicine is in stock.
- "Ist dieses Rezept noch gültig?" (Is this prescription still valid?) — Ask this if you are approaching the four-week mark.
The Truth
The system enforces strict timelines to prevent the use of outdated medical advice. A prescription is a temporary authorization, and it loses all legal weight the second it crosses the 28-day threshold.