Official certification; obtaining from the municipality or administrative community

  • Brief description

    As the authorities closest to the citizens, the municipalities and administrative communities in particular are generally authorized to officially certify copies and signatures.

  • Description

    The certification of documents officially confirms that the content of a copy (transcript) is identical to the original document (original).

    The authentication of signatures officially confirms the authenticity of a signature or hand sign.

    Notarization of documents

    You can only have written or electronic documents officially certified if they have been issued by a German authority or are required for submission to another German authority. The certification note will be affixed to the copy or electronic document.

    You can go to the authorities in person or be represented by someone to whom you have given written authorization.

    Authentication of signatures

    The official certification of a signature confirms that you yourself have signed the relevant text. Signatures on documents that have to be submitted to a German authority or have to be submitted to another authority due to a legal regulation are certified. As a rule, signatures and hand signs must be executed or recognized in the presence of the certifying official.

    An identity card or passport and the document on which the signature is to be or has been affixed must be presented to the authority. The document must then be signed or the signature acknowledged in the presence of the official. A notarization note is then affixed.

  • Required documents

    Identity card or passport

    When notarizing a document: original (original document)

    When notarizing a signature: document

  • Costs

    Official certifications are generally subject to a fee.

  • Legal basis

  • Legal remedy

    In the event of a negative decision, if the existence of a claim for certification is decided at the same time: depending on the area of law concerned, optional objection procedure or administrative court action; otherwise, administrative court action

  • Notes

    § Section 129 of the German Civil Code provides for "public notarization" for certain written declarations (e.g. for the documents to be submitted to the land registry in accordance with Section 29 of the Land Register Code). In these cases, public notarization by a notary is regularly required. Official certification by the municipality or administrative community is not sufficient for this purpose. Special legal regulations also apply in other cases. For example, the issuing of certified copies from official registers is often reserved for the authority keeping the register:

    • Civil status certificates are not notarized. Birth, marriage, civil partnership and death certificates as well as certified printouts from the respective civil status registers are only issued by the registry office (see "Related topics" - "Civil status certificate; application").
    • Printouts from the register of associations or the land register can only be certified by the respective local court.

    The authenticity of public documents that are to be used abroad and have been issued by courts, state authorities or local authorities can be certified by legalization or the issue of an apostille (see under "Related topics"). Official legalization is generally not sufficient for use abroad.


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