If you live in Croatia, you’ve probably already visited a notary public at least once, likely to have your rental contract notarized. But do you wonder what else these experts do?
The notary public is a person who compiles and verifies private and public documents, attends management board meetings, and composes contracts. Their job is to authenticate and legalize documents in Croatia.
In this article, we cover:
- Who is a notary public
- Types of notarial documents
- Why you may need a notary public
- How to become a notary public
- When you need a court interpreter
- How to find a notary public
- Get personal guidance on Croatia
- Read reviews from our clients
The facts are these…
Who is a notary public in Croatia?
A javni bilježnik (notary public) is an expert who:
- Officially compiles and issues public documents on legal affairs, statements, and facts on which rights are based
- Officially certifies private documents
- Receives and safe-keeps documents, money, and valuables for their delivery to other people or competent authorities
- Performs procedures prescribed by law, court orders, or other public bodies
To perform their job, a notary public must:
- Complete pravni fakultet (Faculty of Law)
- Pass the pravosudni ispit (bar exam)
- Pass the javnobilježnički ispit (notary exam)
- Have the necessary experience
- Be a person of public trust
- Be an independent and autonomous public service provider
- Be an impartial trustee of the parties
A notary public is not a lawyer and does not represent clients or parties. They are expert commissioners of all parties whose job is to arrange their relationship to avoid long and costly disputes and guarantee legal certainty.
Notaries must inform their parties of the facts and rights. They must not refuse to take official action without a valid reason. The information they heard during the performance of their service must remain a secret.
The structure, operation, and mode of operation of a notary public in Croatia are defined by the Zakon o javnom bilježništvu (Notary Public Act ), which is available here. A notary public must be a Croatian citizen or a citizen of another EU Member State.
[Read:How to apply for Croatian citizenship (hrvatsko državljanstvo)]
Notaries work in notary public services/administration offices. In addition to a notary public, there are other roles within their office:
- Javnobilježnički prisjednik (notary assessor)
- Javnobilježnički savjetnik (notary advisor)
- Javnobilježnički vježbenik (notary trainee)
Notary assessor
Notary assessors are law graduates who passed the bar and notary exams capable of performing all tasks for which a notary public is legally authorized.
Notary advisor
Notary advisors are law graduates who passed the bar exam and continue to work in a notary public administration office after notary training. They can perform certain tasks instead of the notary public, including:
- Preparation of draft documents
- Compiling inventory
- Voluntary auctions of movable property with the effect of a court auction
- Communication of statements
- Delivery and certification of documents entered in the register of certifications
Notary trainee
Notary trainees are law graduates who can perform all tasks of notary public advisors, excluding certification of documents entered in the register of certifications.
Types of notarial documents in Croatia
There are 3 main types of notarial documents that can be issued by a notary public service in Croatia.
Notarial documents are:
- Javnobilježnički akt (notarial deed) – documents on legal affairs and statements drawn up by notaries
- Javnobilježnički zapisnik (notarial minute) – minutes of legal actions performed or attended by notaries
- Javnobilježnička potvrda (notarial certificate) – certificates of facts witnessed by notaries
Notarial documents are called dokumenti sa snagom (documents with force). This means that they have a force equal to the force of the state or some of the state’s bodies. Information written down in these documents is legally considered true.
[Read: Branches of Croatian government]
Why you may need a notary public in Croatia
There are numerous situations that will require visiting a notary public in Croatia.Here are some cases that require a notary public:
- Legal verification of signatures by a notary public, such as on a rental or property purchase contract
- Verification of an identification document, such as a driver’s license, passport, or national ID card
- Solemnization of mortgage contracts, last wills, and testament or lifelong support contracts
- Compiling a notarial deed of legal affairs and statements in which you participate
- Compiling minutes for legal action that must be attended by a notary public
- Compiling a certificate of facts that must be certified by a notary public
- Making a contract on the disposal of the property of minors
- Making a contract on the disposal of the property of people deprived of legal capacity
- Making a gift contract without handing over the gifts in the immediate possession of the donor
- Legal affairs undertaken personally by those who cannot read, write, or hear
- Conducting probate proceedings
- Making an enforcement decision based on authentic documents
When visiting a notary public in Croatia, bring an ID card or passport with you. They will use them to confirm your identity when performing official actions.
Verification of signatures
Legal verification of signatures on private documents is an often requested service by a notary public. By verification of a signature, a notary public confirms that a party personally signed or put handwriting on a document in their presence. They may also confirm that a party acknowledged a signature or handwriting on a document as their own.
With this service, a notary public does not examine the document’s substantive validity or whether the participants are authorized to perform the legal transaction. For example, if you are signing a contract for the sale of real estate, they won’t check whether it includes all the required elements for registration to the land register. They will only confirm that you signed a contract in their presence.
[Read: How to buy residential real estate in Croatia]
Solemnization of documents
Solemnization, called solemnizacija in Croatian, is a procedure of certifying private documents or contracts by a notary public. It is used in legal transactions that don’t require a form of a notarial deed.
Participants in these transactions can ask for certification of documents by a notary public. A notary public checks whether the document or a contract fits the prescribed form. They also explain the meaning, consequences, and legal effects of the transaction to its participants.
If a notary public legally verifies the signature on a contract, they only confirm that participants have personally signed the document or a contract. They don’t explain the content of the contract to participants. In solemnization, they must check and explain the document’s content or contract to all participants.
Within solemnization, a notary public must also examine whether parties are capable and authorized to conclude the contract and whether they have a true and serious will. A notary public will make written statements of parties, read them to all parties, and ask them questions to ensure that the written content corresponds to the parties’ will.
Once documents are certified, they have the force of a notarial deed, and they become enforceable documents.
Solemnization is used for housing loans and lifelong support contracts. For almost all other types of loans, verification of the contract signatures will be sufficient.
[Read:How to get a mortgage loan in Croatia]
How to become a notary public in Croatia
The process of becoming a notary public in Croatia is not easy. You have to climb many stairs before you can work legally. This position brings a lot of responsibility, so you have to be an expert.
The steps are:
- Finish the integrated undergraduate and graduate study of law
- Pass the bar and notary exam
- Gain 5 years of work experience
- Work as a notary public
A notary public is employed within the service called javnobilježnička služba (notary public service). They work in an office according to the predetermined working hours or an agreement with a party.
Notaries are named by a Minister according to the decision of the judiciary based on the competition. If more than one candidate competes for a position, results of the bar and notary exam, their previous experience in legal work, and results they already achieved in their work are considered.
[Read: All the Croatian government ministries and what they do]
When do you need a court interpreter in Croatia?
Sudski tumač (court interpreter) is a certified translator who provides internationally valid translation services and sometimes works with notaries public.By signing and stamping translated documents, they confirm that the translation is correct and accept legal responsibility for possible errors.
You need a court interpreter to translate your apostilled/legalized documents into Croatian. You can learn about the difference between apostille and legalization here.
For example, when applying for Croatian citizenship abroad at the Croatian embassy or consulate, you must provide a notarized copy of your passport, which confirms it is yours and validates your signature. After the translation, your passport will be notarized as well. If applying for citizenship or residence for the first time, you must provide a legalized background check, whichalso must have an official translation.
[Read:Available visas and residence permits for Croatia]
Some documents you might need to translate for use in Croatia are:
- Diploma
- Criminal record certificates
- Certificate of residence
- Employment certificate
- Other certificates
- Driver’s license
- Medical documentation
- Medical history
- Birth certificate
- Marriage certificate
- Proof of citizenship
[Read: How to prepare your foreign documents for use in Croatia]
There is an additional reason you may need a court interpreter. For specific types of services, all non-Croatian citizens are required to have a court interpreter at a notary public with them who can translate the documents in real time.
This is required for all solemnization procedures and also when dealing with company incorporation. This ensures that you understand everything in the contracts and formation documents. It is important to remember this, as it is an additional cost on top of the notary fees.
Court interpreters can act independently in their own companies or work in translation or other related fields. To become a court interpreter in Croatia, you must:
- Have Croatian citizenship – view a citizenship guide here
- Complete university graduate studies
- Have knowledge of Croatian and a foreign language (an internationally recognized language proficiency certificate at the C2 level as per the European Reference Framework or a university degree in philology)
- Complete professional training at the Strukovna udruga stalnih sudskih tumača (Association of Permanent Court Interpreters)
- Pass exam on knowledge of the structure of judicial authority, state administration, and legal terminology
[Read:How the Croatian legislation system and courts work]
Court interpreters are named by the courts of the Republic of Croatia. People also call them:
- Licencirani prevoditelji (licensed translators)
- Ovlašteni prevoditelji (certified translators)
- Sudski prevoditelji (court translators)
Croatia has the most court interpreters for the English language, but you can also find ones working with other languages, such as German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Serbian, and many more. A list of all court interpreters in Croatia is available here.
Rules on becoming a court interpreter in Croatia are defined by the Pravilnik o stalnim sudskim tumačima (Rulebook on permanent court interpreters), which is available here.
How to find a notary public in Croatia
A list of all notary public administration offices in Croatia can be found here.
You can search them by:
- Notary public’s name and surname
- City
- Working hours
- Day of the week
You can also do a web search for “javni bilježnik” to find the closest one to you. There are many of them everywhere. For some services, you may need to schedule an appointment in advance.
Skip the research! Save time and talk to EIC.
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Meet CAM in this quick 2-minute video here.
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The below costs are per 30 minutes and include VAT (25% tax mandated by the Croatian government).
- First-time clients | 150 euros (includes 30-min session with lawyer)
- Repeat clients | 75 euros
If additional time is requested, it is billed in ¼ hour increments.
We offer a 100% money back guarantee.If your session was not helpful, then you will be refunded – no questions asked.
We vet our information through hands-on, human work. This process includes extensive web research, phone calls to the government, collaboration with licensed Croatian professionals, and visits to government.
Reviews from our clients
“My husband and I are looking to obtain our Croatian citizenship through heritage. CAM was exceptional and was extremely informative about the process required, timelines, contact people, both in Croatia and at home, lawyers and services offered by Expat in Croatia. She was able to easy our anxiety and we felt that we will have solid support and direction going forward. She was professional and friendly. Thank you CAM for your support.” ~ Carol W., Canada, February 5, 2024
“After months of Dr Googling we were left with some ideas but had no confidence in which process to citizenship to follow and if any of it was right. Actually at the time of our consultation the laws had changed and CAM was already on top of them. We left the consultation with a clear path to citizenship and in-depth explanation of everything we needed to do in SA before leaving. On top of this when moving to a new country you don’t know how people may react or approach you. I was apprehensive about this and CAM melted all of that away. On the facts she was professional and serious but when welcoming us, making jokes and telling us about Croatia she was so warm, kind and lifted all my fears of moving. My heart now completely lies in Croatia and we have within 2 weeks a complete plan and working on all the documents we need to gather. Every country needs an expat Croatia with such high integrity.”~ MaryAnn V., South Africa, January 17, 2024
You can view our last few reviewshere or all of our reviews here.
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Reviews from our happy clients
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Eliot Z.
United States
Consulting
Thank you so much, Sara and the whole team at Expat in Croatia! My daughters and I have been working on obtaining our Croatian citizenship for over three years now, and we finally all received our acceptance letters. We will be attending the swearing-in ceremony on June 8th at the Croatian Extravaganza in Sacramento! I can’t even begin to describe how excited we are. This has been quite the journey with so many hoops to jump through, and we could have never done it without Expat in Croatia. You were our number one, go to source for nearly everything. Your comprehensive information, resources, and guidance helped lead us every step of the way. My grandfather was born in 1909, in Rijeka, and with your help, we were able to track down his original birth records, giving us the path we needed towards citizenship. Again, we cannot thank you enough for everything you do.
May 4, 2024
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Anna H.
United States
Consulting
We had many questions regarding bringing our pets from the USA to Croatia that were answered as well as our residency questions. The team we spoke with was very helpful and kind. They provided great information and resources.
April 19, 2024
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Monica F.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional, Research Assistance
My husband and I were overwhelmed by the requirements for Digital Nomad Visas in Croatia, but Expat in Croatia came to our rescue. CAM provided a thorough consultation, clarifying crucial details like the need for a “federal level” apostilled FBI background check (I did not even know what this was prior to our conversation). We are also bringing our dog to Croatia, so Tamara did some research to find answers to very important questions about her entry as well. It was an extra fee, but very minimal and well worth it. We now feel very prepared and confident that we will be approved once we arrive in Croatia. I HIGHLY recommend their services and if I have questions about anything else, I will certainly be reaching out to CAM + team again!
April 16, 2024
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Carol W.
Canada
Consulting
My husband and I are looking to obtain our Croatian citizenship through heritage. CAM was exceptional and was extremely informative about the process required, timelines, contact people, both in Croatia and at home, lawyers and services offered by Expat in Croatia. She was able to easy our anxiety and we felt that we will have solid support and direction going forward.She was professional and friendly. Thank you CAM for your support.
February 5, 2024
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Shawn H.
South Africa
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
We needed to know the ins and outs about moving to Croatia. Our first contact we made was with CAM, then had the consult with Sara. We had superb service, they really know the meaning of customer service, with great continued follow up after our first consult, prior planning to our meeting and immediately providing us with follow up docs after our consult based on our relevant questions, and connection made with external professionals who form part of the EIC team to further support us on our journey. Great team, can definitely recommend them.
January 24, 2024
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MaryAnn V.
South Africa
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
After months of Dr Googling we were left with some ideas but had no confidence in which process to citizenship to follow and if any of it was right. Actually at the time of our consultation the laws had changed and CAM was already on top of them. We left the consultation with a clear path to citizenship and in-depth explanation of everything we needed to do in SA before leaving. On top of this when moving to a new country you don’t know how people may react or approach you. I was apprehensive about this and CAM melted all of that away. On the facts she was professional and serious but when welcoming us, making jokes and telling us about Croatia she was so warm, kind and lifted all my fears of moving. My heart now completely lies in Croatia and we have within 2 weeks a complete plan and working on all the documents we need to gather. Every country needs an expat Croatia with such high integrity.
January 17, 2024
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Joan C.
United States
Research Assistance
I worked with Carol Anne Skorvaga and Tamara Ilic regarding some questions involving purchasing agricultural land/real estate. Carol was very clear about what EIC could do to provide assistance and what would require further research. She was very prompt in seeking out the information and providing it to me in written form. The information was very helpful to me and helped me better understand the real estate process in Croatia. I would highly recommend Carol and EIC. A pleasure with which to work. Thank you!
January 4, 2024
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Mary L.
United States
Consulting
For my consulting session with Sara, I had questions about establishing residency, and also some questions about Healthcare. I sent in questions to her ahead of time so that my session was customized for my needs. Sara had all of those questions noted and was very prepared to elaborate on each one of them and more. I felt confident on the information that was provided and when I had a follow-up questions she was able to easily answer those for me as well. Sara is very personable and approachable in her demeanor which made the meeting enjoyable. I have been following EIC for a few years now and I am always so impressed by the wealth of information that is out there for all of us “seekers”. In addition, the pre-session communication by CAM was very efficient and much appreciated. I have already recommended Expat in Croatia to friends and family members in need of information. Thank you!
December 6, 2023
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Vlasta N.
Canada
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
Thank you so much to these wonderful ladies for the fantastic service. I needed help with some Croatian business issues, terms & processes. They connected me with an appropriate professional – another lovely lady who I immediately connected with and felt she really understood my issue, & she was able to answer all my queries in English – bonus! I would highly recommend these fabulous, friendly ladies and service to anyone who needs some assistance. Again, many thanks.
November 16, 2023
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Ivan C.
Germany
Consulting
Sara answered all my questions, happy with the call. May actually engage the fixer in the future too.
October 28, 2023
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Nicole C.
United States
Consulting
Sara was extremely knowledgeable and helpful answering all of our questions and walking us through what to expect in the process of applying for a temporary residence. She provided multiple resources promptly after the call. I can definitely see us booking another session with her as we start the process just to have a second pair of eyes help along the way. Absolutely worth every penny!
October 10, 2023
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Barbara (Richard) H.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
The Expat in Croatia newsletter has been an indispensable guide for us while waiting to acquire Croatian citizenship. Since receiving citizenship this month, we decided to book a consultation to address more specific questions as we move closer to actually moving to Croatia. We chose CAM (Carol Anne) to be our consultant and found her to be the perfect “fit” for us. She has experienced everything that we will be dealing with as she moved from Canada to Croatia. Whether it is information about shipping items, registering a car, health insurance, or getting a tax consultant to navigate important financial details, she provided everything and more. We found her to be thorough, professional, personable, and smart. She is also funny and charming. We love CAM! We will continue to use this resource, consulting with CAM as needed or as more questions arise.
October 2, 2023
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Megan G.
United States
Consulting
I learned more in an hour that my month of online searching. Everything was prompt, organized, and correct. Best money I have spent in this process thus far.
October 2, 2023
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Craig W.
United Kingdom
Consulting
Would highly recommend the services of ‘Expat in Croatia’ to friends. Sara took the time to familiarise herself with our specific situation before we chatted which meant we were able to talk through the options available and conclude with a clear idea of the avenues we should pursue.
September 28, 2023
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Lori P.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
We needed assistance with purchasing property and moving forward with applying for Croatian citizenship. We had a great conversation with Sara and CAM, they explained both processes clearly and provides us with numerous resources. It has been helpful to understand timelines and requirements, and they have provided contact with professionals that can be responsible for the aspects that we cannot do on our own.
September 23, 2023
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Helen M.
United Kingdom
Consulting
So far I have only had a consulting session with Sara but it was excellent and all of my questions were answered and I feel totally confident with the information provided. I was also given additional website links after the session so that I could find extra information. I felt totally at ease with Sara who came across as not only a very professional person but very personable. I would most certainly recommend Expat in Croatia to anybody else for whatever assistance they needed, and intend to use the services of a vetted professional in due course.
September 20, 2023
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Natalie P.
United States
Consulting
My husband and I consulted with Sara to find out more about living in Croatia with a digital nomad permit. We asked about options to bring our nanny with us as well as which locations and neighborhoods would best suit our family. We’re so grateful to have a local help us in this venture which gave us so much reassurance and piece of mind before we move across the world!
September 7, 2023
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Robert P.
Consulting
Useful information was given such as bank accounts, residency and buying properties
September 7, 2023
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Lindsey F.
United States
Consulting
My husband and I met with Sara to discuss our options regarding moving to Croatia. My husband is of Croatian descent but we were unsure of what we would need to present and to who, once we arrived in Croatia. Sara, through her expansive knowledge, was able to direct us to the correct experts and offer alternatives. She made navigating the Croatian immigration process much easier. Sara and her team are exceptional. I cannot recommend them enough; I look forward to continued correspondence with her as we continue through the process.
August 29, 2023
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Michael C.
Australia
Consulting
Very good service. If you are thinking of immigrating to Croatia a chat with Sara is mandatory. There are so many things one must consider. e.g. Immigration procedures and mandatory health care payments etc.
August 23, 2023
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View our other legislation posts
- All the Croatian government ministries and what they do
- Apostille versus full legalization of government documents
- Background checks for third-country nationals
- Branches of Croatian government
- How laws are made in Croatia
- How the Croatian legislation system and courts work
- How to prepare foreign documents for use in Croatia
- How to vote in Croatia
- Which documents to bring to Croatia (if you plan to live here)
Sources:
hjk.hr
Javni bilježnik – koje poslove obavlja? by Odvjetnik Strniščak
Javni bilježnik/Javna bilježnica by e-usmjeravanje.hzz.hr
Ovjereni prijevodi sudskog tumača by Global Link d.o.o.
Solemnizacija ugovora by Odvjetnik Strniščak
Please note:Information provided by Expat in Croatia is only for the purposes of guidance. It does not constitute legal or financial advice in any form. Croatian laws and bureaucratic rules often change, and each personal case is individual, so different rules may apply. For legal advice,contact usto consult with a licensed Croatian lawyer. For financial advice,contact usto consult with a licensed Croatian tax advisor or accountant.
