Certified Translation of Your German Inheritance Certificate (Erbschein)
You have inherited, and now a bank, court or land registry abroad wants to see your Erbschein or Europäisches Nachlasszeugnis in their language. We deliver a certified translation that authorities accept, made by a translator sworn at a German court. You receive your translation first, then you pay.
You usually receive your quote within a few hours, often sooner.
Why does it need to be certified?
In Germany, official translations must be done by a vereidigter Übersetzer, a translator officially sworn in by a German court. The translation carries a stamp, signature and a statement confirming it matches the original. This is what makes a bank, court or land registry treat it as an official document rather than a simple translation. A notary in Germany does not translate documents themselves, which often surprises people coming from other legal systems. For an inheritance certificate, this matters: the receiving authority needs to trust that every name, share and seal has been reproduced exactly.
Your way to a certified translation in 5 steps
Send your document
Upload a clear scan or phone photo of your Erbschein or Europäisches Nachlasszeugnis, including any apostille and attachments. The original is not required for the translation.
Receive your quote
You usually receive your quote within a few hours, often sooner. A transparent fixed price, no hidden costs, no obligation.
Confirm with one click
Your quote email contains a confirmation button. One click and your sworn translator starts the work. No account, no payment yet.
Receive your translation
You get the certified translation as a PDF by email, with the stamped original following by post. Delivery usually takes 3 to 6 working days; it may vary depending on the language and scope. Your personal delivery time is stated in your quote.
Pay at your convenience
Your translation is in your hands. Only then do you pay, by bank transfer, within 14 days.
When do you need this translation?
German inheritance is governed by civil law, with formal roles for courts and notaries. Heirs usually have to actively apply for an Erbschein at the Nachlassgericht (the probate division of the local Amtsgericht). Once you hold the certificate, a foreign bank, court or land registry will almost always want a certified translation. Here are the situations we see most often.
Cross-border inheritance with property in Germany
You live abroad and inherited a house or apartment in Germany, and the Grundbuchamt (land registry) or bank wants proof of your rights.
German bank accounts from abroad
You live outside Germany and must present an inheritance certificate plus translation to release funds from a German bank, or to a foreign bank handling German assets.
Using your certificate in another EU country
With a Europäisches Nachlasszeugnis you prove your status in other EU states. Foreign notaries, land registries and banks often ask for a certified translation.
Proof of inheritance for visa or residence
You use an inheritance as proof of funds or family ties in an immigration or visa procedure, where embassies and authorities ask for certified translations.
Erbschein or Europäisches Nachlasszeugnis?
The Erbschein is the national German inheritance certificate, used mainly within Germany and valid until revoked. The Europäisches Nachlasszeugnis (European Certificate of Succession) was introduced by the EU Succession Regulation for cross-border cases and is meant for use in other EU member states, except Ireland and Denmark. It is usually valid for around six months and can be renewed. Which one you need depends on where the estate is and where you must present it. You can read more about cross-border successions on the official European e-Justice portal.
Your checklist for the translation
To get a smooth quote and a translation that the receiving authority accepts, it helps to gather everything first. Here is what we need and what to keep in mind.
- A clear scan or photo of the complete Erbschein or Europäisches Nachlasszeugnis, all pages.
- Any apostille or attachments that belong to the document, since these must be translated too.
- The target language and the country where you will use the translation.
- Related documents you may also need translated, for example the Sterbeurkunde or Testament.
Good to know about apostilles
For use outside Germany, many authorities want a Hague apostille on the original before it is translated. This step is unfamiliar to many people from outside Europe, and forgetting it is a common reason for rejection. Order the translation only after you have the final, apostilled original, so you do not have to redo it later. Not sure whether you need one? We are happy to advise. The German Auswärtiges Amt also explains legalisation requirements for documents used abroad.
Ready to release the estate without further delays?
Individual price based on your document
Your questions, our answers
Delivery usually takes 3 to 6 working days; it may vary depending on the language and scope. Your personal delivery time is stated in your quote. Getting the Erbschein or Europäisches Nachlasszeugnis from the Nachlassgericht is a separate process and can take several weeks, sometimes months, especially in cross-border cases. To avoid redoing the work, order the translation only once you hold the final, apostilled original.
A high-quality scan or phone photo is enough for the translation. The translator reproduces all stamps, seals and apostille details exactly. You keep the original and present it to the foreign authority together with our certified translation. If the court later issues a corrected or updated certificate, you will need a fresh translation.
Acceptance depends on two things: that the original is formally valid (correct court, signatures, apostille where needed) and that the translation is made by a sworn translator recognised in Germany. Our translators are sworn at German courts, which is widely accepted in Germany and abroad. Many EU countries readily accept a German public document with apostille plus a certified translation. Still, please check any special requirements with the receiving authority, since some ask for a translator sworn in their own country.
Your translation is in your hands before any payment is due. You receive the PDF and the stamped original, and only then do you pay, by bank transfer within 14 days. No prepayment, no credit card needed.
The price depends on the language pair, the length, and whether an apostille or extra documents must also be translated. Note that each seal, apostille and attachment is part of the document and is translated as well. The fees the court charges for issuing the certificate are separate and based on the estate value, not set by us. Send a scan of the complete document and any attachments to get a fixed quote.
Often needed together
Death Certificate (Sterbeurkunde)
Required to prove the death of the deceased in almost every inheritance procedure, at home and abroad.
Will (Testament)
Often submitted alongside the inheritance certificate to establish who inherits and on what terms.
Land Register Extract (Grundbuchauszug)
Needed when the estate includes property in Germany and ownership must be transferred to the heirs.
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Get your Erbschein translated and move the estate forward
Your translation arrives first. Then you pay. A personal quote reaches you within a few hours.
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