Geprüfter Berufsspezialist für das Notariat/Geprüfte Berufsspezialistin für das Notariat

Preparation courses for the examination take place at the respective educational institution. Learning locations for in-person events are training rooms. For digital learning formats (e.g., virtual classroom) and distance learning, learning locations are at home, or potentially training rooms for in-person phases. For combined learning formats (e.g., blended learning), learning locations are training rooms for in-person events and at home for online learning units.

Occupation type: Advanced training occupation (Berufsspezialist/in). Type of advanced training: Advanced training examination according to nationwide uniform regulations. Participation in preparatory courses is not required. Duration of advanced training: Approximately 7-10 months (part-time). Tasks and activities: Notary specialists record legal transactions and support the notary in implementing them. They draft and process notarial deeds, for example, for real estate purchases or marriage and divorce contracts. They initiate entries or deletions at the land registry office and prepare applications for the commercial, association, and company registers. Notary specialists coordinate appointments and advise clients. Furthermore, they calculate costs, issue invoices, monitor, and book incoming payments. Work areas and locations: Notary specialists are employed in notary offices.

Part-time: approximately 7-10 months.

Distribution of hours (example): Module 1: Theory in property and land registry law and drafting training: 44 teaching hours. Module 2: Theory in family and and inheritance law and drafting training: 24 teaching hours. Module 3: Theory in commercial and company law and drafting training: 24 teaching hours. Module 4: Notarization and professional law as well as office organization: 24 teaching hours. Total teaching hours: 116 teaching hours.

Course fees are incurred for attending preparatory courses, and examination fees for the examination itself. Additional costs may arise, for example, for work materials, travel to the training location, or external accommodation. Funding opportunities: Preparatory courses for the advanced training examination can be financially supported according to the Advanced Training Assistance Act (Aufstiegsfortbildungsförderungsgesetz). Further information: Aufstiegs-BAföG - Advancement with Funding. Support for particularly talented young professionals: Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung (SBB) - Advanced Training Scholarship.

Module 1: Property and Land Registry Law: Recording and assessing legal transactions. Drafting notarial deeds, e.g., for real estate purchases. Applying provisions from notarial professional law and notarization law. Preparing cost calculations and determining transaction values. Module 2: Family and Inheritance Law: Drafting and processing marriage and divorce contracts and wills. Preparing powers of attorney and living wills. Module 3: Commercial and Company Law: Recognizing the type of company, legal form, and representation relationships. Preparing applications for the commercial, association, and company registers. Module 4: Office Organization: Maintaining files and directories. Processing business transactions in writing and digitally. Coordinating appointments. Applying communication techniques and time management methods.

In-depth knowledge in the following areas are good prerequisites for successfully passing the advanced training examination: Economics/Law: e.g., to understand legal issues and economic contexts; Mathematics: e.g., to calculate costs or fees.

The advanced training consists of theoretical and practical lessons. Depending on the education provider, one should expect the following conditions: Teaching time is usually part-time advanced training on weekends or in the evenings. For in-person events: classroom instruction at the educational institution (possibly not in the place of residence). For digital learning forms (e.g., virtual classroom): exclusive learning via electronic learning platforms and systems (primarily in a classroom setting from home). For combined learning forms (e.g., blended learning): in-person events in a classroom setting at the educational institution and self-directed learning via electronic learning platforms and systems from home. For distance learning: individual processing of learning material from home (high demands on self-discipline and work organization); possibly additional in-person phases at the educational institution.

Participation in preparatory courses is not remunerated.

The following advanced training alternatives are available for the profession of Notary Specialist: In the field of Law and Administration: Bachelor Professional in Notary Services (Bachelor Professional im Notariat), Business Administrator (Fachschule) for Law / Bachelor Professional in Business (Betriebswirt/Betriebswirtin (Fachschule) für Recht/Bachelor Professional in Wirtschaft), Certified Legal Specialist (Geprüfter Rechtsfachwirt/Geprüfte Rechtsfachwirtin). Commonality: recording, checking, and processing legal transactions.

In 2020, the Vocational Training Act (BBiG) and the Crafts Code (HWO) were amended, including the introduction of advanced training qualifications such as 'Certified Vocational Specialist' (Geprüfte/r Berufsspezialist/in), 'Bachelor Professional,' and 'Master Professional' to emphasize the equivalence of vocational and academic education. The use of these professional titles depends on the enactment of corresponding new advanced training regulations. In 2024, the Vocational Training Validation and Digitalization Act came into force with adjustments to the BBiG and HWO, including the introduction of an assessment and certification procedure (vocational validation) for individual vocational competence based on the standard of a recognized training occupation, regardless of a formal vocational training qualification. In 2026, the ordinance on the examination for the recognized advanced training qualification 'Certified Vocational Specialist for Notary Services' will come into force.

Qualification title: Certified Vocational Specialist for Notary Services (Geprüfter Berufsspezialist für das Notariat/Geprüfte Berufsspezialistin für das Notariat).

The Specialist for Notarial Services is a nationally regulated advanced training in Germany. Participation in a course is not required to be admitted to the examination.

After completing their advanced training, specialists for notarial services can work in notaries' offices and law firms that offer notary services. To maintain and expand their expertise, they can pursue adaptive further training, covering topics from legal knowledge to finance and accounting. For career advancement, it is common to take an examination as a Bachelor Professional in Notarial Services. With this advanced training qualification, specialists for notarial services can also gain access to university studies without a general higher education entrance qualification and, for example, earn a Bachelor's degree in law.

Legal regulations for the examination: Ordinance on the Examination for the Recognized Advanced Training Qualification with the Designation Certified Specialist for Notarial Services (Geprüfter-Berufsspezialist-Notariat-Fortbildungsprüfungsverordnung - BSNotFPrV) of September 3, 2025 (BGBl. 2025 I No. 206, corr. No. 308).

The prerequisites for admission to the advanced training examination are usually: a vocational training (Ausbildung) qualification as a notary assistant or legal and notary assistant; or a vocational training qualification as a legal assistant and at least 1 year of relevant professional experience; or a vocational training qualification as a patent attorney assistant and at least 1 year of relevant professional experience; or a qualification in another recognized vocational training profession and at least 2 years of relevant professional experience; or at least 60 credit points in a university degree program (Studium) and at least 3 years of professional experience; or at least 5 years of professional experience.