With us, simply no entry stamp was placed on the exemption = formally not received and the deadline does not run. "Real" building applications were officially "postponed".
1st option: Online procedure. Not all cities/municipalities offer this, but if the system is available, the data is uploaded - this is legally effective.
2nd option: Registered mail with return receipt, whereby it may not be possible to document what was in the envelope, therefore:
3rd option: Put the building application in an envelope in the presence of a witness. On the envelope write "Delivery by courier". The witness (not yourself!) delivers the letter, which can then also be put in the municipality’s mailbox. This ensures through the witness
when the delivery happened and
what was in the envelope.
4th option: If the stamp is refused locally, go directly to the mayor or submit the building application to the next higher authority. Possibly not in the exemption procedure, but as a formal building application. This costs more, but it may be that the application
must be submitted to the higher authority and then the lower authority is only heard by the higher authority. The lower authority must respond within a deadline—whether it wants to or not.
That an authority refuses to stamp/confirm receipt of mail/application is an absolute outrage and no authority gets away with that.
Regards
Dirk Grafe