Getting an apostille in Köln (Cologne)

In Köln, the apostille for German public documents issued in the Regierungsbezirk Köln (the Cologne administrative district) is issued by the Bezirksregierung Köln (regional government), Dezernat 21. The official fee for private use is €25 to €50. You apply by post; no appointment is needed. Our fixed price: €129 for one document, official fee included.

Apostille in Köln at a glance

Responsible office
Bezirksregierung Köln, Dezernat 21/Apostille
Address
Post: Zeughausstraße 2-10, 50667 Köln · Appointment: Zeughausstraße 8, report to the information desk
Official fee
private use €25–50, each further identical copy €10 · commercial €40–70, each further €20 · return shipping abroad +€10
Processing time
Within Germany: not published · Abroad: up to 8 weeks
All details (4)
How to apply
By post with the application form · in person only with an appointment, arranged by email only
Power of attorney
Appointment attended by another person: according to the Bezirksregierung no power of attorney needed · By post: application stating your address and the destination country
Payment
Post within Germany: fee invoice, bank transfer by the due date · Abroad: payment in advance · On site: cash only, no card payment
Behördenfix fixed price
€129 for one document for private use, official fee up to €50 included

As of: 26.10.2026 · Source: Bezirksregierung Köln

How your order works with Behördenfix

  1. 1Enter the details and payState the type of document, the issuing office, the place of issue and the destination country, then pay the fixed price online.
  2. 2Upload a scanOnly the scan first, not the original yet.
  3. 3Check and shipping instructionsWe check the district of issue and the form of the document and send you instructions for posting the original.
  4. 4Submission and trackingWe submit it with the application form, the fee is included, and we track the application until the document is back.

Applying for the apostille yourself at the Bezirksregierung

The way without us, step by step

You can also apply for the apostille without us. The Bezirksregierung Köln describes two ways.

  • By post: download the application form (Antragsvordruck) at the bottom of the Bezirksregierung's page. Send it with the original document to Bezirksregierung Köln, Dezernat 21/Apostille, Zeughausstraße 2-10, 50667 Köln. State your address and the destination country.
  • Within Germany, the document comes back with a fee invoice. You transfer the amount by the due date.
  • If the document is to be returned abroad, the authority requires payment in advance and a valid email address. It expects up to 8 weeks and charges an extra €10 for postage abroad.
  • In person: opening hours Monday and Wednesday from 8:30 to 12:00 and from 13:30 to 14:30, by appointment only. You arrange the appointment only by email to apostille@bezreg-koeln.nrw.de; attach a PDF of the documents and name the destination country. Without an appointment you will not be let in, and you pay the fee in cash.
  • The authority asks people not to call and not to ask for confirmations of receipt.
  • Costs if you apply yourself: €25 to €50 fee for private use plus postage. With us you pay €129 including the fee. For this we take care of the check, the application, sending it in and tracking.

Open the official page

Which documents you need

  • The original or a certified copy from the issuing office. A scan or a simple copy is not enough.
  • Documents from the Standesamt (civil registry office): not older than 6 months, otherwise order a new one from the Standesamt if needed.
More documents (5)
  • Registration certificates, residence certificates and certificates of single status (Ledigkeitsbescheinigung): at most 3 months after issue.
  • Copies of school certificates: signed by the head of the school or their deputy.
  • University documents: pre-certified beforehand by the student office (Studierendensekretariat) of your university.
  • Certificates from the Finanzamt (tax office): pre-certified by the Finanzamt first.
  • For our order you also need: a scan of the document, the destination country and your power of attorney, which you sign online during the order.

What is different in Köln: it depends on where the document was issued

Responsibility depends on where the document was issued, not where you live

The Bezirksregierung Köln only certifies German public documents from the Regierungsbezirk Köln. What counts is the issuing office, not your place of residence. For documents from other districts or federal states, the authority there is responsible.

More about Cologne (2)

According to the Bezirksregierung, the following are not certified in Köln: private documents such as powers of attorney or salary statements (first a notary, then the Landgericht, the regional court), court and notarial documents and translations by sworn translators (the responsible Landgericht), documents from federal authorities and the Führungszeugnis, the certificate of good conduct (Bundesamt für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten or Bundesamt für Justiz).

For multilingual birth, marriage and death certificates under the Vienna CIEC Convention, the Bezirksregierung does not issue an apostille for certain member states, because these documents are valid there without further formalities. According to its list, these include Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey.

Frequently asked questions about the apostille in Köln

Where do I get an apostille in Köln?

At the Bezirksregierung Köln, Dezernat 21/Apostille. It is responsible for German public documents issued in the Regierungsbezirk Köln, such as civil registry certificates, registration certificates or school certificates. The postal address is Zeughausstraße 2-10, 50667 Köln. Using your scan, we check in advance whether your document belongs there.

How long does an apostille take in Köln?

For return shipping within Germany, the Bezirksregierung does not give a time frame. For shipping abroad it expects up to 8 weeks for receipt, processing and shipping, and recommends an address in Germany or an apostille service. We track your application and keep you updated until the document is back.

How much does an apostille cost in Köln?

At the Bezirksregierung, an apostille for private use costs €25 to €50, each further identical copy €10. For businesses with economic significance it is €40 to €70. With us you pay €129 for one document for private use, with the official fee of up to €50 included.

Can I apply for the apostille by post?

Yes. You send the document with the Bezirksregierung's application form and state your address and the destination country. Within Germany the document comes back with a fee invoice; for return shipping abroad, payment in advance is required. With us, you only send the original after our check and shipping instructions.

Do I need the original or is a copy enough?

A simple copy is not enough. The Bezirksregierung only certifies original documents or certified copies from the office that issued the document. Civil registry certificates should not be older than 6 months, registration certificates at most 3 months. We look at your scan first and tell you whether the form is right.

Can I get an apostille for a Führungszeugnis in Köln?

No, not at the Bezirksregierung Köln. The Führungszeugnis is an extract from the Bundeszentralregister (federal central criminal register); for this, the Bezirksregierung refers to the Bundesamt für Justiz and the Bundesamt für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten. It does not certify documents from other federal authorities either. This case is therefore not part of our apostille offer for Köln.

Official sources

Reviewed by M. Gabal on 26.10.2026

Provided by Behördenfix (M. Gabal). Behördenfix fills in, submits and tracks the application. We do not give legal advice and do not assess your individual case. Whether an apostille is sufficient is decided by the authority in the destination country.

All services in Cologne (7)

Fee included: we check your scan, file the application and track it until the document is back.

Start apostille order· 129 €