The notary operates under Law 36/1995 and is organised within UNNPR. They are nobody's lawyer: they make sure the deal is lawful.
Special extract, identification, reading in Romanian, payments, in-person signing, and filing for land register registration.
A valid passport, a NIF tax number, translated civil status documents, and a notarial power of attorney if someone signs for you.
The fee follows the official UNNPR sliding scale based on the deal's value, plus 21% VAT. By custom, the buyer pays.
A real estate sale contract is signed in person. If you cannot attend, you give a notarial power of attorney.
The notary in Romania: the short answer
In Romania, a contract transferring ownership of real estate must be made as a notarial deed, so every property deal goes through a notary. The notary identifies the parties, checks the property's status in the land register on the day of signing, collects taxes and fees, and files the registration in your name. Signing before the notary is in person only: you attend yourself, or send a representative.
Investors coming from Israel know a "notary" as someone who certifies a signature or a translation. In Romania the role is much broader. Here is what the notary actually does, and what they do not do.
Who the Romanian notary is
A notary in Romania holds a public office, operates under the Notaries Law 36/1995 and is organised within the National Union of Public Notaries (UNNPR). The notary is nobody's lawyer. Their job is to make sure the deal is made lawfully, and to give it the force of an official document.
A point investors miss: the notary is neutral. They do not check whether the price is fair, whether the developer is reliable, or whether the planning on the ground matches the extract. That is what a lawyer you hire is for. We set out the division of roles in our guide to the legal check before signing.
From the field: the Israeli will that did not govern the Romanian apartments
Attorney Ilan Leibovitch recalls:
Two brothers came to me after their father died. He had divorced their mother when they were teenagers, moved to Romania and remarried there. When he fell ill he stayed in Israel, and the sons cared for him until his death. About six months before he died, he made a will leaving them everything he owned.
They came with a probate order from the Israeli Registrar of Inheritance and asked to transfer his Romanian apartments into their names. But their father was still married in Romania, and the widow, who did not know about the will, had already opened succession proceedings before a Romanian notary. We gave the notary the death certificate, the translated will and the probate order. Two days later the notary informed us that the widow objected, and that the decision would go to court.
The case took two years, through two levels of court. The court ruled that Romanian law governed the Romanian assets, because the will did not state that Israeli law would apply, and the deceased also held Romanian citizenship and had lived in Romania for more than 25 years. Under Romanian law, the widow and the two sons each received one third.
The Romanian notary runs the succession procedure as long as there is no dispute. Once an objection was filed, the decision moved to the court. That is why it pays to come to the notary with documents that leave no room for interpretation.
When you need a notary in a property deal
| Stage | Is a notary required? |
|---|---|
| Preliminary contract on an off-plan unit | Yes, under Law 207/2025 |
| Final sale contract | Yes, always |
| Mortgage contract | Yes, a separate notarial contract |
| Power of attorney to sign for you | Yes, in the same notarial form |
| Ordering an extract to check | No, you can do it yourself on the ANCPI website |
We wrote about the preliminary contract and the dedicated account under Law 207/2025 in our article on what the Nordis law changes.
Which documents to bring to the notary
A foreign buyer usually brings:
- A valid passport.
- A tax identification number (NIF) from the ANAF tax authority.
- Civil status documents where relevant (for example marriage), translated.
- A notarial power of attorney, if someone is signing for you.
The seller usually brings:
The right combination is a notary who runs the signing, and a lawyer of your own who checks everything else.
- Their title document (the contract or inheritance certificate through which they acquired it).
- The property's cadastral file.
- A certificate from the local authority that there are no local tax debts on the property.
- An energy performance certificate for the property.
The exact list depends on the property and the parties. Ask the notary for it in writing, at least a week before signing.
What happens on signing day
- A special extract. The notary orders an extract for authentication from the land register. Only the notary can order it, and it is valid for just a few days, so the registered status is current at the moment of signing.
- Identification. The notary identifies the parties and checks they have authority to sign.
- Reading. The contract is written in Romanian and read out to the parties. If you do not understand Romanian, you sign in the presence of an authorised translator, who signs the deed together with the notary.
- Payments. The notary collects their fee, the land register fee and the seller's transfer tax.
- Signing. In person, not by video.
- Registration. The notary sends the deal to the land register, and you receive a registration decision and an updated extract in your name.
The original deed is kept in the notary's archive, and the parties receive official copies.
How much a notary costs in Romania
The notary's fee follows an official UNNPR sliding scale based on the value of the deal, plus 21% VAT. The value used cannot be lower than the minimum value in the "notaries' guide". By custom, the buyer pays the notary fee and the land register fee. All the items are gathered in our guide to buying costs.
The notary and the money
The final contract states not only the price but also how it was paid: how much was transferred before signing, how much on the day, and from which account. That is why the money moves by bank transfer, and you should have the transfer confirmations with you on signing day.
Notaries in Romania are also reporting entities under the anti-money-laundering law. In practice, this means the notary may ask about the source of funds and request documents. It is not suspicion of you; it is a duty that applies to them in every deal.
Prepare a small file in advance: transfer confirmations and, if the money came from abroad, a document showing where it came from. Five minutes of preparation save an hour of waiting at the notary's office.
How to choose a notary
- The notary does not have to be the seller's. The parties agree on a notary, and you should have a say.
- Ask in advance about a translator. Whether the office has an authorised translator for your language, or whether you need to bring one.
- Ask for a written cost calculation before signing day.
- Arrange with your lawyer to receive the draft contract in advance, not on the day itself.
In our project in Balotești, for example, the notary fee is included in the price. But even when it is included, you may, and should, ask to see the draft in advance.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sign before a Romanian notary remotely?
No. A real estate sale contract is signed in person before the notary. If you cannot attend, you give a notarial power of attorney to another person, as we explain in our power of attorney guide.
Does the notary represent me?
No. The notary is neutral and represents neither party. They make sure the deal is lawful and registered, but they do not check the price, the developer or the planning for you. For that you need an independent lawyer.
What if I do not speak Romanian?
The contract is drawn up in Romanian. If you do not understand Romanian, you sign in the presence of a translator authorised by the Romanian Ministry of Justice, who also signs the deed. It is worth getting a translation of the draft in advance too.
Who chooses the notary?
The parties agree on one. By custom the buyer pays the fee, so it is legitimate for the buyer to have a say. It is important that the notary is available to coordinate with your lawyer in advance.
When is the property registered in my name?
After signing, the notary files the registration with the land register. At the end you receive a registration decision and an extract showing you as the owner. That is the moment the property is truly yours.
The bottom line
The Romanian notary is the gatekeeper of the deal: they make sure it is lawful, paid and registered. They are not your guardian.
The right combination is a notary who runs the signing, and a lawyer of your own who checks everything else.
If you are getting close to signing in Romania, with us or anywhere else, book a half-hour call with me. We will go through the document list together and what is worth asking the notary for in advance.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources and data: Romanian legislation portal: Notaries Law 36/1995 and the Civil Code · National Union of Romanian Notaries (UNNPR) · National Agency for Cadastre and Land Registration (ANCPI) · National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF).
This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. The exact document list is set by the notary for each deal.
Now you know more.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
