Notarization of documents or signatures
Service description
Documents (copies, duplicates, negatives, electronic documents and printouts of electronic documents) as well as signatures and hand signs can be notarized. A distinction must first be made between official and public certification.
Official certification is governed by the State Administrative Procedure Act in conjunction with the Federal Administrative Procedure Act (VwVfG) and only applies to documents whose original has been issued by an authority or whose copy is required for submission to an authority (unless the issue of certified copies from official registers and archives is reserved exclusively for other authorities). A signature or hand mark can also be officially certified if the signed document is required for submission to an authority or other body to which it must be submitted on the basis of a legal provision.
The legal basis for the authentication of signatures is the German Civil Code. Public notarization of a signature is only permitted in cases that are prescribed by law.
What documents are required?
The document to be notarized and the original are required.
When notarizing signatures or hand signs, proof of identity (e.g. identity card or passport) and the document on which the signature or hand sign is to be notarized must be brought along.
What fees apply?
Notarizations are generally subject to a fee. The competent authority will provide information on the amount of the fee.
Legal basis
What else should I know?
Official certification is not sufficient,
- if public notarization or public certification (by notaries, courts or certain authorities, e.g. the youth welfare office) is required, or
- if the exclusive responsibility of a specific authority is given (e.g. civil status certificates only from the registry office, extracts from the land register only from the surveying and land registry authorities).