Notarization of documents or signatures

A certification confirms that copies, photocopies, duplicates, negatives, printouts of electronic documents or electronic documents correspond to the original.

Signatures and hand signs on documents are certified by authorities if the signed document is required for submission to an authority or other body to which the signed document must be submitted on the basis of a legal provision.

If a legalization is required for use abroad, a simple legalization is not sufficient. In this case, see Legalization and Apostille.

The authority that issued the original is responsible for certifying copies, photocopies, duplicates, negatives, printouts of electronic documents or electronic documents.

If the authority did not issue the original itself, it is only responsible for the certification if it has been declared responsible in accordance with Section 1 of the Hessian Ordinance on the Determination of Authorities Authorized to Certify and the original originates from another authority or it is required for submission to an authority.

The authorities named in Section 1 of the Hessian Ordinance on the Determination of Authorities Authorized to Certify are also responsible for certifying signatures and hand signs.

According to Section 1 of the Hessian Ordinance on the Determination of Authorities Authorized to Certify, all authorities within the meaning of Section 1 (1) of the Hessian Administrative Procedure Act are responsible. Police authorities and natural and legal persons under private law that perform public administration tasks are not competent.

The document to be notarized and the original. 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.

• § Section 33 of the Hessian Administrative Procedure Act - Certification of documents
• § Section 34 of the Hessian Administrative Procedure Act - Certification of signatures and hand signs

Notarizations are generally subject to a fee. The competent authority will provide information on the amount of the fee.

Official notarization 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 a specific authority has exclusive responsibility (e.g. civil status documents only from the registry office, extracts from the land register only from the land registry and surveying authorities).