Response period for an appeal
Citizens’ appeal response deadline calculator
Enter the registration date of an ordinary application, proposal, or complaint with the prosecution authority. The tool shows three possible limits under the Law on Citizens’ Appeals, not one guaranteed date, and helps Lviv residents understand when to check for a response, extension notice, or referral to the proper authority.
Check response deadlines
First distinguish an ordinary citizen appeal from a crime report, a motion under the CPC, a public information request, and a special complaint.
Use the date on the stamp, incoming reference number, electronic confirmation, or official registration notice. Do not substitute the dispatch date.
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preliminary calendar references
monthly estimate is still aheadOverall review limit from receipt. The specific period within this limit depends on fact-checking and the materials required.
Relative to today: in 30 days
- Up to 15 days
- 24 November 2026
- For an appeal that does not require additional review: promptly, but no later than 15 days from receipt.
- Up to one month
- 10 December 2026
- Overall review limit from receipt. The specific period within this limit depends on fact-checking and the materials required.
- Up to 45 days
- 24 December 2026
- An extended limit may apply if one month is not enough; the applicant must be notified. This is not an automatic date for every request.
- Up to 5 days for forwarding
- 16 November 2026
- If the matter is outside the recipient’s authority, the appeal is forwarded to the competent body and the citizen is notified.
The registration date is day 1: 15 days = date + 14; 45 days = date + 44. One month ends on the corresponding date of the next month or on its last day.
The calculator moves Saturday and Sunday only. Check official holidays, the institution’s special work schedule, the filing method, and other non-working days separately.
The day off was shifted to Monday
The brief summary is easy to paste into a message to a lawyer or save for yourself.
Why does the result contain several dates?
Article 20 of the Law “On Citizens’ Appeals” does not establish one universal date. A simple appeal is handled promptly, but no later than 15 days; the general period is up to one month; with a justified need it may be extended, but to no more than 45 days in total, with notice to the applicant.
For prosecution authorities, this procedure is specified in Instruction No. 153 approved by the Prosecutor General’s Office. That instruction does not turn a criminal offense report or procedural motion into an ordinary appeal.
Calculation methodology
Calendar review methodology
The user determines the document’s legal regime; special regimes stop the calculation.
For an ordinary appeal, use the confirmed date it was registered by the recipient.
The registration date counts as the first day for the 15- and 45-day limits.
One calendar month is calculated separately using the shorter-month rule.
If the reference date falls on a Saturday or Sunday, it moves to Monday; other calendar exceptions require manual review.
Example
Example of an appeal in Lviv Oblast
A resident of Drohobych received electronic confirmation that her ordinary complaint about an official’s actions was registered with the prosecutor’s office on August 3, 2026.
- Route: ordinary citizen appeal
- Registration date: 03.08.2026
- Registration date counted as day 1
Preliminary references: August 17 for a simple appeal, September 3 for the general one-month limit, and September 16 for the maximum 45-day limit if properly extended.
This does not mean the authority may choose the longest period without explanation. Check the request’s contents, notice of extension, and possible referral to the proper authority.
What to keep to check the deadline
- A copy of the submission with all attachments and the date it was signed.
- Stamp, incoming reference number, electronic notice or other proof of registration.
- Postal receipt, enclosure inventory, and delivery confirmation if the appeal was sent by mail.
- Notice of referral to the proper authority or extension of the period to 45 days.
- The response received, with the envelope or electronic delivery metadata.
Frequently asked questions
Which date should I enter: dispatch or registration?
Enter the confirmed date the authority received or registered it. For postal delivery, the receipt date shows dispatch, but not necessarily when the addressee received it.
Why does the calculator show three periods at once?
The law distinguishes a simple appeal, the general one-month limit, and a possible extension to 45 days. Without the review materials, it is not possible to honestly choose one guaranteed date for the authority.
Does the deadline mean the day I must receive the letter?
Not necessarily. The Instruction ties completion of the review to dispatch of a paper response or electronic sending according to system records, so actual delivery may occur later.
Can the prosecutor’s office automatically take 45 days?
No. An extension applies when the issue cannot be resolved within a month, and the applicant is notified of the new period. Any lack of notice should be documented.
What to do if the appeal was sent to the wrong place?
An authority without jurisdiction must forward the request to the proper authority within five days and notify the applicant. Keep both registration confirmations.
Is this time limit suitable for a crime report?
No. For a criminal offense report, the key rules are the Criminal Procedure Code and entry of information in the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations, not the calendar for citizens’ requests.
Resources for your situation
Calculations and checks
Guidance and instructions
Official sources
- Law of Ukraine “On Citizens’ Appeals”Articles 7 and 20 govern forwarding an appeal to the proper authority and the 15-day, one-month, and up-to-45-day periods.
- Law of Ukraine “On the Prosecutor’s Office”Defines the powers and structure of prosecution authorities to consider when choosing where to address an appeal.
- Instruction of the Office of the Prosecutor General No. 153The current Instruction governs receipt, registration, review and forwarding of requests and appeals by prosecution authorities.
- Civil Code of UkraineArticles 253–254 contain general rules for the start and end of periods defined in days and months.
- Criminal Procedure Code of UkraineArticle 214 and other provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code establish a separate regime for criminal offense reports and procedural documents.
- Law of Ukraine “On Access to Public Information”Provides separate deadlines for public information requests, which this calculator does not calculate.
- Prepared
- The methodology was prepared by the website editorial team based on official sources.
- Important
- The tool provides a preliminary result and does not replace analysis of the appeal’s content and confirmation of its registration.
Current as of . The calculation is preliminary and depends on the documents and circumstances.
Free initial consultation
Unsure which time limit applies to the request?
Submit an application if you need to distinguish an ordinary appeal from a procedural complaint, check its registration, and prepare the next document in Lviv or Lviv Oblast.
- the calculator result can serve as a reference for a conversation
- documents, deadlines, or contract terms may change the conclusion
- briefly describe the circumstances in the form if needed