Certifying a signature, handwriting or copy in Montenegro 2026: municipality, court or notary, the new notary fee of 3.50 euros, what to bring and digital certification

Under the Law on Certification of Signatures, Handwriting and Copies, signatures, handwriting and copies of documents are certified by basic courts, the municipal office responsible for certification and notaries. To certify a signature you come in person with an ID card, passport or other photo document and sign the document before the official, or confirm that the signature on it is yours. Certification confirms only that the signature is yours or that the copy matches the original, not that the content is true. Under the new notary tariff from April 2026, a notary charges 3.50 euros to certify a signature and 2.50 euros for the first page of a copy, plus VAT. Since 2023 there has also been digital certification of documents.

This guide explains where certification is done, what to bring, what certification means, how a signature is certified for someone who cannot sign or does not understand the language, what a notary charges and what digital certification is.

Where are signatures and copies certified?

• Certification is done by the basic court, the local government office responsible for certification in your municipality and notaries.
• At a court or municipality you pay a fee, and at a notary the charge set by the notary tariff, and the amount is entered on the certificate.
• The certificate is attached to the document with a cord whose ends are sealed with wax or adhesive tape.
• Every certification is recorded in a special register with a number, date and details of the person.
• If a document about a transaction is subject to tax, for example a car sale contract, the office that certified the signature sends a copy to the tax administration within 15 days.

What to bring and how signature certification works

• Identity is established from an ID card, passport or other photo document issued by a competent authority.
• If identity cannot be established from a document, it is established from the statements of two adult witnesses with full legal capacity.
• You sign the document by hand before the official or notary, or confirm that the signature already on the document is yours.
• Anyone signing on behalf of a company or another person must prove they are authorised to represent them.
• The official or notary must refuse certification if the document clearly contains a prohibited transaction.

What if you cannot sign or do not understand the language?

• A person who cannot write or cannot sign places the print of their right index finger, or another finger in the order set by law if that is missing.
• If no fingerprint is possible either, a witness writes that person's name on the document, and the person immediately acknowledges it as their signature.
• The document is read aloud to a blind person or someone who cannot read, and to a deaf person who cannot read with the help of an interpreter.
• A person who does not understand the language of the document has its content translated, and if the official cannot translate it, an interpreter hired by that person does.
• If the official does not understand the language of the document, you will be asked to have it translated by an interpreter.

How is a copy certified?

• The official or notary certifies a copy that they made themselves or that was made in their presence.
• The copy is compared with the original or a certified copy and must match it in every detail.
• When only part of a document is certified, the copy must show clearly which parts were not copied.
• A copy of a document in a language the official does not understand can be certified without an interpreter if it was made by photocopying.
• Since 2023 a printout of an electronic document made in the presence of the official or notary can also be certified.

What does a notary charge?

• The tariff has applied since 9 April 2026, and the notary adds VAT and other prescribed charges.
• A notary may not charge more or less than the tariff.
• If you disagree with the bill, you can seek an amicable settlement through the Chamber of Notaries.
• The fee at a court or municipality is set by separate rules, so check it at the counter.

What is digital certification?

• Digital certification means placing a qualified electronic signature or seal of the official or notary on a digitised document containing a certified signature, handwriting or copy.
• A normal certification is done first, and the document is digitised in the presence of the official or notary.
• The file name carries the mark DOP for a signature, DOR for handwriting or DOPR for a copy.
• The person requesting it pays the cost of a normal certification plus the digitisation costs.

A power of attorney from abroad is described in our guide to a power of attorney for buying or selling property, and a vehicle sale contract in our guide to selling a car. Buying a flat at a notary is explained in our guide to the purchase contract at a notary, and writing a will in our guide to making a will.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I have a signature certified in Montenegro? Signatures are certified by basic courts, the competent municipal office and notaries, with an ID card, passport or other photo document.

How much does a notary charge to certify a signature? Since 9 April 2026 a notary charges 3.50 euros per signature of an individual on one copy, plus VAT.

How much does it cost to certify a copy of a document? At a notary a certified copy costs 2.50 euros for the first page and 1.50 euros for each further page, plus VAT.

Does certification confirm that the content of a contract is correct? No, certification only confirms that the signature is yours or that the copy matches the original, not that the document's content is true.

Can I certify a signature if I do not understand the document's language? Yes, the content is translated for you, and if the official cannot translate it, an interpreter you hire does.

What is digital certification? It is certification with a qualified electronic signature or seal on a digitised document, which at a notary costs 6 euros more than a normal certification.

Sources

Who certifies, identification, fingerprints, interpreters and certified copies are set by the Law on Certification of Signatures, Handwriting and Copies (Official Gazette 85/2018), digital certification by the 2023 amendment (Official Gazette 3/2023), and the removal of electronic certification for company registration by the 2026 amendment (Official Gazette 44/2026). Notary charges are set by the Tariff of Notary Fees and Costs (Official Gazette 49/2026, tariff items 7, 9 and 23). The information was checked on 27 September 2026. Fijaka is a classifieds platform; this text is not legal advice.