In brief
A power of attorney to buy, sell or take out a mortgage in Romania must be notarial and special, because the contract it is intended for is signed in notarial form. From Israel, you sign before a notary and add an apostille and a certified translation into Romanian, or you sign at the Romanian consulate. A power of attorney without a set term expires after three years, and a revocation is registered in the national register RNNEPR, which notaries check.
Key takeaways
- 1Under the "symmetry of forms" rule in the Civil Code, a power of attorney for an act that requires a notarial document must itself be notarial.
- 2Romania and Israel are parties to the 1961 Hague Convention, so an apostille is sufficient instead of consular legalisation.
- 3A general power of attorney covers only acts of administration. Buying, selling and encumbering require express authorisation.
- 4Without an express term, the power of attorney expires three years after it was signed. A short term that fits the transaction is preferable.
- 5A broad power of attorney without oversight is a risk: limit it to defined acts, and obtain an updated land book extract from time to time.
A power of attorney is what allows most buyers from Israel to close a transaction in Romania without building the timetable around a flight. But the same document that saves a flight can also stop a transaction on the morning of signing, if it was drafted incorrectly, or expose you to risk for years, if it was drafted too broadly. This guide deals with both sides.
Why will a power of attorney with an ordinary signature not be accepted?
The Romanian Civil Code applies a rule called the "symmetry of forms": a power of attorney for an act that must be performed by notarial document must be given in the same form (Article 2013(2)). A contract for the sale of real property, and also a mortgage contract, are such acts. Therefore a document with an ordinary signature, or with signature authentication only, will not be accepted by the Romanian notary.
Romania and Israel are parties to the 1961 Hague Convention, so an apostille is sufficient instead of consular legalisation.
Which way should you sign from Israel?
| Israeli notary | Romanian consulate | |
|---|---|---|
| Suitable for | Anyone | Anyone, including those who are not Romanian citizens |
| What is required afterwards | Apostille and certified translation into Romanian | The document is already Romanian; an apostille is usually not required |
| How to book | Directly with the notary | Appointment through the website of Romania's consular services (econsulat.ro) |
The most common route among Israeli buyers is an Israeli notary. Since Romania and Israel are parties to the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, an apostille stamp from the competent authority in Israel is sufficient.
What is the correct order for issuing a power of attorney?
- Wording: a Romanian lawyer drafts the text, in Romanian and in a language you understand. A generic text from the internet is a poor starting point.
- Signing: in the presence of a notary in Israel, with a passport.
- Apostille on the notarial document.
- Certified translation in Romania: a certified translator translates it into Romanian, and a Romanian notary certifies the translation.
- Advance approval: send a scan to the notary who will execute the transaction and ask for approval of the wording, before the original is sent.
The last step is the one that prevents most problems. A notary who has seen the wording in advance will not spring surprises on the day of signing.
What must appear in the wording?
A general power of attorney usually covers only acts of administration. Buying, selling or encumbering requires a special and express power of attorney (Article 2016 of the Civil Code). Good wording includes:
- The details of the principal and the attorney-in-fact, exactly as they appear in the passport and identity document.
- Full identification of the property: address, land book number and cadastral number.
- The price or price range, and the payment terms.
- The permitted acts: signing the preliminary contract and the final contract, payment, receiving documents and applying for registration.
- Ancillary acts: obtaining a NIF tax number and, if there is a mortgage, signing the mortgage contract.
- An express end date.
The mortgage contract is a separate notarial contract. A power of attorney that refers only to the purchase will not suffice for it, even if no separate document is needed. Make sure the mortgage appears in the wording.
Which mistakes stop a signing?
- A name written differently from the passport. A single different letter in the transliteration is enough for the notary to stop.
- A property that was not fully identified. An address without a land book number is not sufficient.
- Missing authority, for example authority to sign without authority to pay or to apply for registration.
- A translation that was not certified in Romania. A translation made in Israel without the certification of a Romanian certified translator may be rejected.
To whom should you give a power of attorney, and to whom under no circumstances?
The attorney-in-fact must work for you alone: your lawyer, or a person you trust who is available to attend the notary on the scheduled date and the registration if required. Do not appoint the other side - not the seller, not the seller's broker and not the developer. That is a built-in conflict of interest.
How long is the power of attorney valid, and how do you revoke it?
If no term is set, the power of attorney expires three years after it was given (Article 2015 of the Civil Code). It is preferable to set an express, shorter term that fits the transaction.
Revocation is made by notarial document and is registered in the National Register of Powers of Attorney and Revocations (RNNEPR), administered by the union of notaries. The notary checks the register before relying on a power of attorney, and if the power of attorney has been revoked, he or she does not proceed (Notaries Law 36/1995, Article 91(2)). In this way a registered revocation protects you against third parties.
A broad power of attorney to manage a property or a company in Romania, given years ago and forgotten, may allow acts you did not intend, and if court documents are served at the registered address and no one responds, proceedings may advance without you. The rule: draft it for defined acts, limit it in time, revoke it when it is no longer needed, and obtain an updated extract for the property from time to time, even when everything seems quiet.
What to do before signing the power of attorney, and how we accompany you
A proper power of attorney is notarial, special, with an apostille and a certified translation, and checked in advance by the notary who will execute the transaction. We coordinate the wording in Hebrew and in Romanian, make sure it includes all the required acts and is not broader than necessary, and work with lawyers and notaries licensed in Romania, who are the ones authorised to act under local law.
What is stated here is general information correct as of October 2026 and is not legal advice for a specific case. The wording of the power of attorney should be drafted with a lawyer and approved in advance with the Romanian notary.
Frequently asked questions
Is a power of attorney from an Israeli notary valid in Romania?
Yes, if it is notarial, bears an apostille stamp and is translated into Romanian by certified translation. Since Romania and Israel are parties to the 1961 Hague Convention, the apostille replaces consular legalisation.
How long is a power of attorney valid in Romania?
Until the term set in it. If no term was set, under the Civil Code it expires three years after it was given. It is recommended to set an express, short term.
How do you revoke a power of attorney given for a property in Romania?
By a notarial revocation document registered in the national register RNNEPR. Notaries check the register before relying on a power of attorney, so a registered revocation prevents its use.
Can you give a power of attorney to the real estate agent?
It is not recommended to give a power of attorney to the seller, the seller's broker or the developer, because they have an interest in the transaction. The attorney-in-fact should represent only you.
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The information in this guide is general in nature and does not constitute legal or tax advice on any specific transaction. Every transaction is assessed on its own facts.