Beglaubigungen von Urkunden, Schriftstücken und Zeugnissen

Every authority is authorized to certify copies of documents that it has itself drawn up.

In addition, the authorities designated by the state government by ordinance are authorized to certify copies, photocopies, reproductions, negatives, printouts of electronic documents or electronic documents if the original is issued by a (German) authority or the copy is required for submission to a (German) authority, unless the issuance of certified copies from official registers and archives is reserved for other authorities by law.

In principle, the official certification of foreign documents, i.e. documents that have not been issued by a German authority, is only possible to a limited extent. Since the admissibility of official certification essentially depends on the (legal) character of the original and a prohibition of certification must be excluded, knowledge of its content is required in accordance with Section 33 VwVfG M-V.

The copies of the documents are certified.

Foreign-language documents can only be officially certified by a copy of the translation made by a state-approved translator/interpreter licensed in Germany. The translation must be attached to the original foreign document (or a copy of the original made by the translator). In order to be certified, the translation must be presented together with the original and the relationship between the translation and the underlying document must be unambiguously recognizable. Therefore, translators usually connect a copy of the original certificate with the translation by means of a "cord", a seal or make the affiliation clearly recognizable with appropriate stamps. The foreign original forms a certifiable "new" document only together with the translation. As a result, the original may only be certified together with the translation. It is the translated copy that is certified, not the original of the foreign document.

However, it should be noted:
According to § 33 para.1 sentence 2 VwVfG M-V, certifications of officially translated foreign documents can only be made if the copy is required for presentation to an authority. Pursuant to Section 33 (3) No. 3 VwVfG M-V, the purpose for which the copy or duplicate is to be used must be stated in the certification note ("for presentation to: ..."). The official certifications unfold therefore exclusively opposite the authority specified in the intended purpose evidentiary force.
The above restrictions do not apply to foreign passports, since a translation is neither possible nor useful. Here a certification can be made, provided that it is proven for which purpose the certified copy is needed. The exact designation of the purpose applies here analogously.

As a rule, certifications are subject to a fee. The competent authority will provide information on the amount of the fee.

An official certification reserved for other authorities:

• for certificates of good conduct: the Federal Office of Justice is responsible
• for extracts from the commercial register: the local courts are responsible
• for excerpts from the real estate cadastre: the cadastral office is responsible
• for company contracts: notaries are responsible
• in inheritance and family matters: notaries and courts are responsible
• in real estate matters: notaries are responsible
• for civil status documents: the registry office is responsible

Personal status documents (birth, marriage or death certificates) may not be notarized as a matter of principle, since these are kept consecutively. The only exception to this is if the civil status documents are required for use abroad (apostille/legalization). New certificates can be requested from the registry office that issued the certificate for the first time.

• any authority of the state, counties, municipalities and offices
• the authorities of public corporations without territorial sovereignty or
• legally responsible institutions or foundations
• Private documents for private transactions may be certified only by notaries.