Central Register of Testaments

All last wills and testaments deposited with a civil law notary are recorded in the Central Register of Testaments set up by Austria's notaries. Upon the death of a testator, any testament deposited with a civil law notary can be readily located, since the notary acting on behalf of the court (as "court commissioner") must address an enquiry to the Register of Testaments in all probate proceedings.

The Register of Testaments records the name, date of birth, day of execution, and place of deposit of the will, while the contents remain undisclosed. Only the court commissioner may divulge the contents of a will upon the testator's death. Wills deposited with attorneys and courts of law may be equally registered.