Notarial Online Procedures

Since the entry into force of the German legislation implementing the EU Digitalisation Directive (DiRUG / DiREG), certain notarial notarisations and certifications can be performed by video conference – without the need to attend the notary's office in person. The legislator has deliberately limited this possibility to a clearly defined catalogue of procedures. This page provides an overview of when an online appointment is possible with us and what you will need.

Which procedures are available online?

As of the current status (02 May 2025), only the following procedures are permitted online:

All other instruments – in particular real estate purchase agreements and all land register matters, marital agreements, contracts of inheritance, wills, precautionary powers of attorney, renunciations of inheritance, adoptions and the transfer of GmbH shares – must continue to be notarised in the physical presence of the parties. This catalogue is expected to be extended in the future, but the legislator is currently cautious in this respect.

A Berlin connection: one out of four is enough

In order for me to conduct your online appointment, it is sufficient if one of the following connections to Berlin is in place:

For newly incorporated companies, the intended future seat in Berlin is sufficient. All other participants can join from anywhere – including from abroad. If you are unsure whether the conditions are met in your case, please get in touch – we are happy to check this for you prior to instructing us.

What you will need

In order to take part in an online notarisation or online certification, you will need the following four things:

How an online appointment works

1. Instruction and draft: You instruct us – most conveniently via the relevant data sheet in the Companies & Corporate Law section. We prepare the draft of the deed and send it to you by email for your review.
2. Invitation and identification: You will receive an invitation to the appointment, together with instructions on how to set up the Bundesnotarkammer app. Before the appointment, you identify yourself there once with your ID document.
3. Video conference: At the agreed time, we enter the video conference together. The same rules apply as for an in-person notarisation: the notary reads out the deed, explains its content, and you have the opportunity to ask questions or request changes.
4. Electronic signature: You sign the deed using a qualified electronic signature via the app; the notary then signs as well.
5. Deed and registration: You receive the deed in electronic form; the commercial register filing or any other subsequent actions are handled by our office.

Hybrid notarisation and participation from abroad

It is also possible for only some of the parties to join online, while others attend the notary's office in person (so-called hybrid notarisation). Participation from abroad is likewise possible, provided that the participant holds a suitable ID document with an electronic identification function. For many parties located abroad, this is currently the easiest way to take part in a German notarisation without having to travel.

Limits

The online procedure does not replace personal advice: in particular for complex structures, we continue to recommend an in-person appointment or at least a preliminary advisory meeting. If there are doubts as to the identity or legal capacity of a participant, or in the event of technical difficulties, the notary may discontinue the online appointment and require an in-person notarisation.

Legal basis

The statutory basis is found in particular in § 16a et seq. BeurkG and § 40a BeurkG (for certifications), introduced by the Act implementing the Digitalisation Directive (DiRUG) of 5 July 2021 and supplemented by the DiREG of 23 June 2022. The underlying European legal basis is Directive (EU) 2019/1151. The local jurisdiction for online procedures is governed by § 10a(3) BNotO. Further information is available from the Bundesnotarkammer.