hoheitliche

Hoheitlich is a German adjective that denotes actions, powers, or characteristics related to sovereignty. It is used to describe the activities of the state or public authorities that are exercised as part of the state's sovereign power (hoheitliche Gewalt). The term helps distinguish these state activities from private or civil-law actions carried out by individuals or private entities.

In administrative law, hoheitliche Maßnahmen are actions taken by public authorities within the framework of public law that can be binding and, if necessary, enforceable with coercive means. Examples include issuing licenses or permits, imposing fines, conducting police enforcement, tax assessment, and registering civil status events such as births, marriages, and deaths.

Not every action by a public authority is hoheitlich. Some tasks are services or regulatory activities conducted in a public-law relationship without coercive power, while private contractors may perform certain tasks under public supervision. The designation hoheitlich emphasizes the state's sovereign authority or coercive power rather than mere service provision.

In German constitutional and administrative theory, hoheitliche Aufgaben or hoheitliche Gewalt refer to the state's sovereign functions as opposed to private-law relations. The concept is used to explain which actions fall under public-law regulation and constitutional protections.