Munich develops free open-source tool to help councils across Germany exchange data with notaries

Munich City Council's IT department is developing a software tool that will allow local authorities throughout Germany to handle the electronic data that notaries will be required to send them under a new law. The program, called the eNoVA Editor, is being built as an open-source project by it@M and will be available to all German municipalities free of charge.

From 1 January 2027, the so-called eNoVA Act (electronic notary–administration exchange) will move data exchange between notaries and local authorities onto a digital footing. A specific message format will have to be used, and the data will have to carry qualified electronic signatures. Until now, however, no software has been available that allows authorities to display these records in an easily readable form, convert them for further processing or store them. The new tool is designed to close that gap and is based on the XJustiz standard eNoVA.2900003, along with additional requirements from the city's Municipal Department.

Development began in August and the software has been in testing since mid-October. A production version for all municipalities in Germany is expected in early December. From the outset, the project was designed for use across the whole of Germany rather than just Munich, and every stage of development can be followed publicly at https://enova-editor.oss.muenchen.de.

Because the tool is open source, a substantial share of the testing work is being carried out by other German municipalities rather than by Munich alone. The approach also gives Munich preferential access to the partners involved in the project, such as other authorities and the Federal Chamber of Notaries.

Dr Laura Dornheim, head of the city's IT department, said: "As the public administration of the City of Munich, we are convinced of the benefits of open-source software. It is not just a technical tool but a way of promoting transparency, innovation and independence in digital administration. We do not only use free software; we also actively support the further development of open-source projects. For the city, the principle is 'public money, public code'. I am therefore delighted that the eNoVA Editor is being developed consistently as open-source software and, by doing without Munich-specific features, can be used throughout Germany. That is exactly where we want to be."

Further information on contact and download options, as well as a regular video conference for questions, is available at http://enova-editor.oss.muenchen.de.