Translating Prescriptions for Germany: Do You Need Notarization?

Three weeks into your life in Germany, and your blood pressure pills have run out. You walk into a pharmacy, hand over your Ukrainian prescription, and the pharmacist shakes their head: “Das können wir leider nicht annehmen.” They can’t accept it. Not the prescription, not the Cyrillic script, not even the Latin name of the drug. You’re standing there holding a piece of paper that’s completely worthless in this country, wondering what comes next. Let’s figure out how to actually get your medication in Germany and when translating your prescription makes sense.

Will a German pharmacy accept your Ukrainian prescription?¶

Short and unpleasant answer - no. German pharmacies are legally prohibited from filling prescriptions issued in countries outside the EU, the European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland. Ukraine doesn’t belong to any of these, so a prescription from a Ukrainian doctor is essentially just a piece of paper in Germany.

This isn’t discrimination or a particular pharmacist being difficult. It’s the Arzneimittelgesetz (German Pharmaceutical Act), which strictly regulates which prescriptions a pharmacy can honor. Even if your prescription is perfectly translated into German and notarized - the pharmacy still can’t accept it.

The only way to get prescription medication in Germany is to get a new prescription from a German doctor.

So why bother translating the prescription at all?¶

If the pharmacy won’t take it, why spend money on translation? There are several important reasons.

For your German doctor¶

This is the main one. When you visit a Hausarzt (family doctor) or Facharzt (specialist) asking them to prescribe the medication you were taking in Ukraine, they’ll want to see documentation. A translated prescription or medical summary shows the doctor:

• which active ingredient (Wirkstoff) you were taking
• at what dosage
• for how long and how frequently
• who prescribed it and when

The doctor sees your translation and can prescribe the same drug under its German name or an equivalent. Without it, they’d have to run diagnostics from scratch - and that costs time and money.

For bringing medication across the border¶

If you’re bringing a supply of your medication from Ukraine, it’s recommended to carry your prescription with a German or English translation. Under German law, you can import prescription medication for personal use for up to 3 months. But customs officers may ask for proof that these drugs were prescribed to you by a doctor.

For Krankenkasse or other institutions¶

Sometimes your health insurance (Krankenkasse) or other German institutions request medical history to justify the need for specific treatments or expensive medications. Translated prescriptions and doctor’s orders become part of your medical documentation.

Do you need notarization for the translation?¶

This is where many people overpay. Let’s break it down by situation.

For a doctor’s visit - NOT needed¶

If you’re bringing your prescription to your Hausarzt so they understand what medication you’re on - a sworn or notarized translation isn’t necessary. A doctor isn’t a government official checking stamps and seals. They need to understand the active ingredient, dosage, and schedule. A regular quality translation works fine.

For bringing medication across the border - NOT needed¶

For customs, it’s enough to have the original prescription and its translation (preferably in German or English). Notarization isn’t required - it’s a recommendation, not a legal obligation.

When a sworn translation (beglaubigte Übersetzung) IS needed¶

• For Krankenkasse - if your insurance requests medical documents to justify coverage of expensive treatment or rare medications
• For Rentenversicherung - when applying for disability pension and your Ukrainian medical history is part of the case
• For court proceedings - if medical prescriptions serve as evidence
• For Pflegekasse - when applying for Pflegegrad for a sick family member

A sworn translation (beglaubigte Übersetzung) is done by a vereidigter Übersetzer - a translator who has taken an oath in court and has official authorization to certify translations with their seal. Their signature carries legal weight, so no separate notary is needed. More about the difference between translation types in our guide.

Bottom line: in 90% of cases, when you just need to show a prescription to a doctor - notarization isn’t needed. Don’t overpay.

How to bring your medication from Ukraine to Germany¶

If you’re relocating or staying long-term, it makes sense to bring a supply with you. Here are the rules:

Allowed quantity - enough for a maximum of 3 months at the recommended dosage. If your doctor prescribed 1 tablet per day, you can bring up to 90 pills.

What to carry with you:

• Original prescription from your doctor (preferably with stamp and signature)
• Translation of the prescription into German or English (not required to be certified, but highly recommended)
• Medication in its original packaging (don’t transfer pills into different boxes)
• The package insert or medication leaflet

Special rules for controlled substances:

If you’re taking medication containing narcotic or psychotropic substances (certain painkillers, sleeping pills, anti-anxiety drugs), things get more complicated. Ukraine isn’t part of the Schengen zone, so the standard Schengen-Bescheinigung (Schengen certificate for carrying narcotic medication) doesn’t apply.

In this case:

• Check in advance whether your medication is on Germany’s list of controlled substances (Betäubungsmittel)
• Bring a detailed prescription from your doctor including the diagnosis, drug name, and dosage
• Get the prescription translated into German
• If possible, obtain a medical certificate stating these medications are medically necessary for you

How to get a prescription in Germany¶

Here’s the step-by-step process:

1. Register with a Hausarzt (family doctor)

If you have health insurance (Krankenkasse) - and for Ukrainians with temporary protection status under §24, this is arranged through the Jobcenter - doctor visits are free.

2. Bring your medical documents

Take to your appointment:

• Your translated prescription or medical summary with prescriptions
• The packaging of the medication you’re taking (so the doctor can see the active ingredient and dosage)
• Any translated medical documents - discharge summaries, certificates, test results

3. The doctor issues an E-Rezept

Since 2024, Germany has fully switched to electronic prescriptions (E-Rezept). The doctor creates a digital prescription, and you receive a QR code in the E-Rezept app or a paper printout with the code. No more handwritten prescriptions.

4. Pick up your medication at the pharmacy

Show the QR code at any pharmacy (Apotheke). If you’re insured through Krankenkasse, you only pay the Zuzahlung (co-payment) - between 5 and 10 euros per medication.

One user on a forum for Ukrainians in Germany shared their experience: “I went to my doctor with a box of L-thyroxine and a translated prescription. The doctor didn’t even look at the translation in detail - he looked at the packaging, saw the dosage, and prescribed me the exact same thing. The whole visit took 10 minutes.”

Finding your medication under a different name¶

Here’s where the real confusion starts. Your regular Enalapril might be called Enalapril-ratiopharm, Xanef, or a dozen other names. Brand names (Handelsname) in Germany are often completely different from what you’re used to in Ukraine.

What to do:

• Search by active ingredient (Wirkstoff) - not by brand name. “Amlodipine” stays Amlodipin everywhere in the world, but “Normodipine” or “Tenox” are brand names that might not exist in Germany
• Ask the pharmacist for help - German pharmacists are excellent with Wirkstoff lookups and can suggest equivalents
• Some medications simply don’t exist here - certain popular Ukrainian drugs (especially OTC “cure-alls”) may not be registered in Germany. Your doctor will find an alternative

Important: medications that are sold over the counter in Ukraine may require a prescription (verschreibungspflichtig) in Germany. Antibiotics are a classic example. Forget about “popping into the pharmacy for some amoxicillin” - they won’t sell it without a doctor’s prescription.

How much does it cost to translate a prescription?¶

A prescription is typically 1 page, so the translation is relatively cheap.

In Ukraine¶

In Germany¶

For comparison - a follow-up visit to your Hausarzt with Krankenkasse is free, and the doctor issues a new E-Rezept in 5-10 minutes. So it’s often simpler and cheaper to just show up with your medication packaging than to order a translation.

If you need translation of medical documents (not just a prescription, but also discharge summaries, reports, prescriptions) - ChatsControl can quickly translate your document while preserving formatting and medical terminology.

More about document translation pricing in our price guide.

FAQ¶

Do I need a notarized translation of my prescription for Germany?¶

In most cases - no. For a doctor’s visit, a regular quality translation or even the medication packaging showing the active ingredient is enough. A notarized (sworn) translation is only needed if the prescription is submitted as part of documents for Krankenkasse, Rentenversicherung, or court proceedings.

Will a German pharmacy accept my Ukrainian prescription?¶

No. German pharmacies are legally prohibited from filling prescriptions from countries outside the EU, EEA, and Switzerland. To get prescription medication in Germany, you need to visit a German doctor who will issue a new E-Rezept.

How do I get medication in Germany if I’m taking drugs from Ukraine?¶

Register with a Hausarzt (family doctor), bring your translated prescription or medication packaging showing the active ingredient and dosage. The doctor will issue an E-Rezept for an equivalent medication. If you have Krankenkasse, the visit is free, and you only pay a Zuzahlung co-payment of 5-10 euros for the medication.

How much medication can I bring from Ukraine to Germany?¶

You can import prescription medication for personal use for up to 3 months at the recommended dosage. Medication should be in its original packaging, and it’s advisable to carry the prescription (with translation). Narcotic and psychotropic medications are subject to separate, stricter rules.

How much does it cost to translate a prescription into German?¶

In Ukraine, translating a prescription (usually 1 page) costs 150-400 UAH without certification. In Germany, a sworn translation runs €25-50, a regular translation €15-30. But it’s often easier to just visit your doctor with the medication packaging - it’s free with Krankenkasse and takes about 10 minutes.