A standard electronic printout of a German commercial register entry is often enough for domestic purposes, but foreign banks, consulates, notaries and courts frequently require a stronger form of document: a certified copy, sometimes additionally authenticated by an apostille. Understanding the difference between a beglaubigte Abschrift, a certified extract and an apostille helps anticipate what a foreign recipient will accept.
Beglaubigte Abschrift: the certified copy
A beglaubigte Abschrift is an official certified copy of a document. In the context of the Handelsregister, this usually means a certified copy of the current register entry, of the historical entry, or of documents held in the register file, such as the articles of association or a shareholder list. The certification confirms that the copy corresponds to the original held by the issuing authority.
Certified copies of register entries are typically issued by the competent Registergericht (register court), which administers the file for a given entity. A notary may also issue certified copies of documents that have been presented in original or in electronic authenticated form, and can produce certified translations through an officially recognised translator when required.
Certified extract versus simple extract
A simple Handelsregisterauszug downloaded from the online portal is a practical reference document but does not bear the seal and signature that foreign authorities often expect. A certified extract bears an official certification that it represents the current register content as of a stated date. For cross-border use, the certified form is usually the starting point.
The apostille under the Hague Convention
The Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents introduced a single authentication known as the apostille. For use in another contracting state, a public document that carries an apostille is accepted without further diplomatic or consular legalisation. Germany has been a party to the Convention for decades, and a register court document bearing an apostille is directly usable in other member states.
In Germany the apostille is not issued by the register court itself. Depending on the document type and federal state, the competent authority is typically a regional court president (Landgerichtspräsident) or a state administrative authority. A notary's certification can also be apostilled along the same route. When a destination country is not a Convention party, the traditional chain of legalisation through the foreign ministry and the destination country's consulate still applies.
| Form | What it confirms | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Simple extract | Content of the register entry | Domestic reference, internal checks |
| Certified copy | Copy matches the official file | Formal domestic or EU use |
| Apostille | Authenticity of signature and seal | Use in other Hague Convention states |
| Legalisation | Chain authentication | Use in non-Convention states |
Typical use cases
- Opening a bank account for a German company at a foreign branch.
- Registering a branch or subsidiary of a German entity abroad.
- Submitting corporate documents to foreign procurement, licensing or tender processes.
- Proving existence and representation in foreign court or arbitration proceedings.
- Presenting articles of association to a foreign notary for real estate or share transactions.
Practical considerations
Requirements vary noticeably between countries and even between institutions within the same country. Some recipients ask for a certified copy no older than a fixed number of weeks, others insist on a sworn translation attached to the apostilled document. Keeping a record of the exact version sent, the date of issue and the identity of the issuing authority helps resolve later queries without reissuing documents unnecessarily.
In short: A certified copy proves that a document faithfully reflects the register file; an apostille under the Hague Convention proves that the signature and seal on that document are genuine for use in another Convention state. The two layers are complementary and both are commonly required for cross-border filings.
Related pages
- Register extract — The baseline document that is then certified or apostilled.
- Branches & EUID — Cross-border structures frequently drive certification needs.
- Role of the notary — Notaries issue and authenticate many corporate documents.