Certificates and legalizations of signature

Various administrative or private formalities require the production of certified and/or legalized attestations or documents.

All these formalities are free of charge and reserved for people domiciled within the commune of Montpellier. They are carried out without appointment at the Hôtel de Ville, and in the annexed and local mairies.

Legalization of signature (or material certification) authenticates the identity of the signatory. This can be requested by a foreign authority, or when drawing up private deeds that do not require the intervention of a notary, such as contracts.

Please note: The procedure does not presume the content of the deed. It only attests to the veracity of the signature.
The applicant must go in person to the town hall, and proceed to sign in front of an agent who has been delegated by the mayor. The official will then affix an official stamp.

Pieces to provide:

• an identity document bearing the signature.
• the document on which the signature will be legalized.

Since 2001, French administrations no longer have the right to demand certified copies of documents. The procedure therefore only concerns the copying of French deeds and documents intended for a foreign administration.

The documents concerned are those produced by public administrations or private bodies entrusted with a public service mission. It is not possible to issue certified copies of deeds issued by notaries and court clerks, civil status documents from other communes, customs certificates, documents of a judicial nature or bank statements.

Inversely, it is possible to obtain a certified copy of a tax notice.

To obtain the certified copy, simply present yourself with the document and its photocopies.

Issued by the commune's mayor, the certificat de vie (or attestation d'existence) is an official document certifying that the applicant is alive on the date it is issued. In particular, it is requested by foreign organizations to continue paying benefits (pension, annuity, etc.) to people residing in France.

To obtain it, simply go to the town hall with your identity card. Depending on the case, you will need to fill in the document provided by the foreign organization, or a CERFA form provided for this purpose.

If the applicant is unable to travel for medical reasons, it is possible to appoint a proxy to carry out the procedure. In this case, it is necessary to present:

• identity papers for both the applicant and the proxy;
• a power of attorney dated the same day and signed by the beneficiary, authorizing the proxy to make the application on his/her behalf;
• a medical certificate dated the same day stating that the beneficiary is alive and unable to come to Montpellier Town Hall.

Some organizations (mutual insurance companies, works councils, etc.) sometimes require a certificate of cohabitation to receive benefits. This certificate of cohabitation certifies that you are living in a common-law relationship. It can be requested, regardless of nationality, as long as you reside in France.

The attestation de vie commune is materialized by a declaration on honor by both cohabitants, whose signatures are legalized at the town hall of the common domicile.

The presence of both cohabitants, with their identity papers, is mandatory for the attestation to be drawn up.

Service attendance table

To avoid waiting too long, this table lets you know how busy the service is throughout the week. We recommend that you plan your visit or call during low-traffic periods. This information is given for information only, and is not a guarantee of actual waiting.

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