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Federal Code for Notaries
(Bundesnotarordnung – BNotO)

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Übersetzung durch Ute Reusch

Translation provided by Ute Reusch

Stand: Die Übersetzung berücksichtigt die Änderung(en) des Gesetzes durch Artikel 2 des Gesetzes vom 15. Juli 2022 (BGBl. I S. 1146)
Der Stand der deutschsprachigen Dokumentation kann aktueller sein. Vergleichen Sie dazu bitte http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bnoto/BJNR001910937.html.

Version information: The translation includes the amendment(s) to the Act by Article 2 of the Act of 15 July 2022 (Federal Law Gazette I, p. 1146)
Translations may not be updated at the same time as the German legal provisions displayed on this website. To compare with the current status of the German version, see http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bnoto/BJNR001910937.html.

Zur Nutzung dieser Übersetzung lesen Sie bitte den Hinweis unter "Translations".

For conditions governing use of this translation, please see the information provided under "Translations".

           
Part 1
Office of notary
Division 1
Appointment as notary
Section 1Status and tasks of notary
Section 2Profession of notary
Section 3Full-time notaries; lawyers commissioned as notary
Section 4Need for appointment
Section 4aApplication
Section 5Aptitude to exercise notarial function
Section 5aFurther requirements of full-time notaries
Section 5bFurther requirements of lawyers commissioned as notary
Section 6Selection amongst several suitable persons; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 6aRefusal and stay of appointment
Section 7Service as trainee notary; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 7aProfessional examination for notaries; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 7bWritten examination
Section 7cOral examination
Section 7dNotification; certificate; appeal
Section 7eWithdrawal; missing examination
Section 7fAttempts to influence results; breach of regulations
Section 7gExamination Office; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 7hFees
Section 7iAuthorisation to issue statutory instruments concerning professional examination for notaries
Section 8Secondary employment
Section 9Association for purpose of joint practice; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 10Location of office
Section 10aJurisdiction
Section 11Official district
Section 11aCooperation with notary appointed abroad
Section 12Certificate of appointment
Section 13Administration of oath
Division 2
Exercise of office
Section 14General professional duties
Section 15Refusal to perform functions
Section 16Ban on involvement as notary; recusal
Section 17Fees
Section 18Obligation of confidentiality
Section 18aAccess to content of notarial instruments and registers for research purposes
Section 18bForm of access for research purposes
Section 18cProtection of content during access for research purposes
Section 18dCosts of access for research purposes
Section 19Breach of official duty
Section 19aProfessional indemnity insurance
Division 3
Notarial functions
Section 20Notarial recording and authentication
Section 21Certification
Section 22Administration of oaths; recording declarations in lieu of oath
Section 23Safekeeping and delivery of valuables
Section 24Advisory services and representation of parties involved
Division 4
Other official duties
Section 25Employing staff; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 26Formal declaration by persons employed
Section 26aAvailment of services
Section 27Obligation to give notification of association for purpose of joint practice
Section 28Guarantee of independence and impartiality
Section 29Ban on advertising
Section 30Duty to provide training
Section 31Conduct
Section 32(repealed)
Section 33Electronic signature
Section 34Reporting requirements
Division 4a
Keeping of records and registers
Section 35Keeping of records and registers
Section 36Authorisation to issue statutory instruments regarding records and registers
Section 37(repealed)
Division 5
Absence and inability to carry out duties; deputy notary
Section 38Notification of absence or inability to carry out duties
Section 39Deputy notary
Section 40Form of appointment; official oath; revocation
Section 41Deputy’s exercise of office
Section 42Competence for disputes between notary and deputy
Section 43Remuneration of ex-officio appointed deputy
Section 44Duration of deputy’s authority
Section 45Safe custody in case of absence or inability to carry out official duties
Section 46Breach of official duty by deputy
Division 6
Expiry of office; suspension from office; administrator for notary
Section 47Expiry of office
Section 48Discharge
Section 48aRetirement age
Section 48bResignation from office to care for others
Section 48cResignation from office for health reasons
Section 49Criminal conviction
Section 50Removal from office
Section 51Safe custody following expiry of office or moving location of office
Section 51aHandover of items kept in safe custody
Section 52Continued use of official designation
Section 53Taking over rooms or employees from retired notary
Section 54Suspension from office
Section 55Safe custody and official acts following suspension from office
Section 56Administrator for notary
Section 57Exercise of duties and appointment of administrator for notary
Section 58Continuing notarial functions; costs claimed
Section 59Remuneration; settling of accounts with chamber of notaries
Section 60Surpluses from administration of notarial affairs
Section 61Breach of official duty by administrator for notary
Section 62Competence for disputes between chamber of notaries and administrator for notary
Section 63Inspection by chamber of notaries
Section 64Duration of administrator for notary’s authority; claims for costs
Division 7
General provisions on administrative proceedings
Section 64aApplicability of acts on administrative procedure
Section 64bAppointment of deputy
Section 64cSubstitution of written form
Section 64dTransmission of data
Part 2
Chambers of notaries and Federal Chamber of Notaries
Division 1
Chambers of notaries
Section 65Formation; seat; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 66By-laws; supervision; report
Section 67Tasks; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 68Constituent bodies
Section 69Executive board
Section 69aObligation of confidentiality; availment of services
Section 69bSections
Section 69cEarly retirement of executive board member
Section 70President
Section 71Assembly of chamber
Section 72By-laws
Section 73Membership dues
Section 74Right to information, presentation and summons
Section 75Admonition
Division 2
Federal Chamber of Notaries
Section 76Formation; seat
Section 77Legal status; supervision; approval of by-laws
Section 78Tasks
Section 78aCentral Register of Lasting Powers of Attorney; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 78bInformation and fees
Section 78cCentral Register of Wills; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 78dContent of Central Register of Wills
Section 78eNotification of death
Section 78fInformation extracted from Central Register of Wills
Section 78gFees levied in respect of Central Register of Wills
Section 78hElectronic Document Archive; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 78iAccess to Electronic Document Archive
Section 78jFees levied in respect of Electronic Document Archive
Section 78kElectronic Database of Notarial Records; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 78lDirectory of Notaries
Section 78mAuthorisation to issue statutory instruments regarding Directory of Notaries
Section 78nSpecial electronic notarial mailbox; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 78oComplaint
Section 78pVideo communication system for notarial acts; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 78qLevying of fees for video communication system
Section 79Constituent bodies
Section 80Presiding Board
Section 81Election of Presiding Board
Section 81aObligation of confidentiality; availment of services
Section 82Tasks of President and Presiding Board
Section 83General assembly
Section 84(repealed)
Section 85Convocation of general assembly
Section 86Composition and adoption of resolution by general assembly
Section 87Presiding Boardʼs report
Section 88Members’ status
Section 89By-laws
Section 90Right to information
Section 91Levying of membership dues
Part 3
Supervision; disciplinary proceedings; court proceedings in administrative matters pertaining to notaries
Division 1
Supervision
Section 92Supervisory authorities
Section 93Supervisory authorities’ powers
Section 94Disapproval
Division 2
Disciplinary proceedings
Section 95Institution of disciplinary proceedings
Section 95aLimitation
Section 96Applicability of Federal Disciplinary Act; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 97Disciplinary measures
Section 98Imposition of disciplinary measures
Section 99Disciplinary court
Section 100Delegating tasks of disciplinary court by statutory instrument
Section 101Composition of higher regional court
Section 102Appointment of judges
Section 103Appointment of associate judges who are notaries
Section 104Rights and duties of associate judges who are notaries
Section 105Appeal against higher regional court’s decisions
Section 106Composition of Federal Court of Justice
Section 107Appointment of judges
Section 108Appointment of associate judges who are notaries
Section 109Applicable procedural provisions
Section 110Relationship between disciplinary proceedings and professional supervision proceedings under other laws governing professions
Section 110aDeletion
Division 3
Court proceedings in administrative matters pertaining to notaries
Section 111Competence
Section 111aLocal jurisdiction; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 111bProcedural provisions
Section 111cDefendant
Section 111dAppeal on points of fact and law
Section 111eLegal actions against elections and resolutions
Section 111fFees
Section 111gValue in dispute
Section 111hLegal redress for excessive length of proceedings
Part 4
Transitional and final provisions
Section 112Delegation of powers of Land departments of justice by statutory instrument
Section 113Notaries’ Fund and Notaries’ Fund for the Five Eastern Länder
Section 113a(repealed)
Section 113bChambers of notaries outside of areas of activity of Notaries’ Fund and Notaries’ Fund for the Five Eastern Länder
Section 114Special provisions applicable to Baden-Württemberg
Section 115(repealed)
Section 116Special provisions applicable to individual Länder
Section 117(repealed)
Section 117aChambers of notaries in Frankfurt am Main Higher Regional Court district and in eastern Länder
Section 117bSpecial provisions applicable to trainee notaries and notaries from eastern Länder
Section 118Transitional provision relating to records, books and registers
Section 119Transitional provision relating to previously deposited collections of documents
Section 120Transitional provision relating to taking over by public archive