A copy certified by a Public Notary, a City Clerk or a Municipal Clerk solely confirms that such copy corresponds to the document designated by the client as the original document. However, it does not confirm the authenticity of the original. The same applies if we affix a supplementary certification to a certified copy. We do not confirm the authenticity of the original document. This is why copies of such documents are not always accepted abroad even though they bear our supplementary certification.
The authenticity of a public document, or rather of the original public signature, can therefore only be certified on the original document.
Please ask the respective office or authority abroad to which you need to submit documents about the required certifications.

The signatures of the Zurich or Winterthur Chambers of Commerce are seen as public signatures on certificates of origin, Carnet ATA or on CITES documents only. 

All other documents with stamp and signature of the Chambers of Commerce can't be certified by us. 

The Chambers of Commerce are no public certification offices for private and company documents in the Canton of Zurich. Please see below for further information.

We only certify divorce judgements which have been declared final and legally binding by the court or which bear a seal/stamp proving validity. In case of any other court decision, we recommend that you contact the foreign authorities requiring the respective document. They will be able to tell you whether it is necessary to prove the legal validity of a document.
Our supplementary certification only confirms the authenticity of the court signature. However, it does not confirm the legal effect of the document.
Please note that we cannot always certify court decisions immediately. In some cases, further inquiries are necessary. Please plan well ahead.

Notary Offices as well as City or Municipal Clerk’s Offices issue various types of certifications for private individuals and companies, confirming different contents. Please ask the respective office or authority abroad which requires documents from you to tell you more about the necessary type of certification required for your specific legal transaction.
Subsequently, we will certify the signatures of the respective Public Notary or City/Municipal Clerk of the Canton of Zurich.

Translations do not represent official documents in the Canton of Zurich.

The requirements with regard to translations may vary from country to country; they may even vary from office to office within a country, depending on the legal transaction, local laws and practice. Please inquire with the respective office to which you must submit documents about the respective requirements. In particular, please ask the respective office

• where/by whom you may have a document translated
• whether and how such translation must be certified
• and whether you are required to provide a supplementary certification to the original and the translation.

Please note that the contents of a translation will not be certified by the public certification offices of the Canton of Zurich (Notary Office, City/Municipal Clerk’s Office) nor by the Cantonal Chancellery.

In some cases, foreign offices or authorities may require the translator to vouch for the contents with his/her signature and to have his/her signature certified. If this is the case, the translator may have his/her signature certified at any of the public certification offices mentioned above.

Please note that other cantons or countries may have different rules and regulations.