Costs

Notary fees

Advice · Draft · Notarization

The fees for a notary’s services are regulated uniformly throughout Germany by the Court and Notary Fees Act (GNotKG).

Notaries are also required by law to charge the prescribed fees; reductions of notary fees or agreements on them are prohibited by law.

Because notary fees are linked to the value of the transaction and thus to the financial capacity of the parties involved, everyone can make use of notarial services regardless of their financial circumstances and the complexity of the matter. The notarial fee system is therefore socially balanced. As a result, notaries carry out many official activities without a fee that covers their costs.

In addition, notarial deeds can often bring cost advantages elsewhere. Notarial wills and contracts of inheritance, for example, offer considerable cost advantages compared to later probate proceedings. Notarized lasting powers of attorney also avoid costly and time-consuming guardianship proceedings.

Advice and draft: notarial advice “free of charge”?

Notarial advice, including the preparation of drafts, is already included in the notarization fee if the same matter is subsequently notarized.

The advisory fees are therefore included in the draft or notarization fee.

However, if no notarization takes place, drafts or advice must be invoiced and are therefore subject to a charge.

What does a (separate) consultation with a notary cost?

Advisory fees are incurred for a separate consultation, i.e. if the notary does not prepare a draft and does not notarize anything.

The amount of the advisory fee then depends on the effort involved, the complexity and the assets of the parties involved.

Cost estimate

General information on notary fees or cost estimates without details is not possible.

Calculation examples for notary fees can be found on the information portal of the Federal Chamber of Notaries (in German).

On request, we will be happy to inform you about the expected notary fees once you have provided the necessary information. You can use the following form for your request:

Further information on notary fees

Coverage of notary fees by legal expenses insurance

Some legal expenses insurers reimburse the notary fees incurred for notarizing wills, contracts of inheritance or lasting powers of attorney. If applicable, please check with your legal expenses insurer before the notarization.

Supervision by the authorities

The judicial administration regularly checks whether notaries comply with the provisions of the Court and Notary Fees Act. A large number of invoices are checked for completeness and accuracy. In individual cases, this can lead to queries, additional charges or refunds of fees.

Judicial review

Notarial invoices can be reviewed in court proceedings. Every invoice therefore contains explicit information on legal remedies. The application can be submitted to the competent court in writing or recorded by the court office. Reasons must be given.

International comparison

A comprehensive study by Harvard University on the cost structure of real estate transactions has shown that notaries in Germany not only guarantee a high degree of legal certainty, but that notary fees are also low by international standards.