Proof of employment seniority in Romania, including from closed companies
In short
From 2026, the seniority certificate is requested directly from your employer or former employer, who must issue it within a maximum of 15 working days from a written request. When a contract ends, the employer must issue it automatically, together with an extract from the employee register. For periods worked up to 31 December 2010, proof is made with the work booklet (carnetul de muncă), and if the company has closed, the documents are held by the archiving operator that took over its archive.
Updated on:
A seniority certificate is needed when you take a new job, file for a pension, or establish certain rights — and it becomes a problem only when the company you worked for no longer exists, or a former employer keeps stalling. This guide covers both the simple case and the complicated ones.
What changed in 2026
With the transition to the Reges-Online platform, territorial labour inspectorates no longer issue certificates on employers’ behalf. From 2026, the document is requested exclusively from the employer or former employer.
This matters for anyone who remembers the old procedure: a trip to the labour inspectorate for a certificate no longer works.
The rule that protects you: 15 working days
The employer is legally obliged to issue the certificate within 15 working days of your written request. Failure to comply carries a fine of 3,000-5,000 lei.
Hence a practical tip: always request in writing, with proof of the date — e-mail with delivery confirmation, the registry office, or registered post. Without proof of the date, the legal deadline cannot be invoked.
The 2011 dividing line
The system is split in two, and this matters enormously:
| Period | How it is proven |
|---|---|
| Up to 31 December 2010 | The work booklet — the official document |
| After 2011 | The electronic employee record (extract) |
The practical conclusion: never throw away the work booklet. For older periods there is no electronic backup, and reconstructing seniority from other documents is long and uncertain.
The company closed. What now
It is not a dead end. The archives of bankrupt or struck-off companies are taken over by authorised archiving operators, which issue certificates based on the documents held — usually for a fee.
To identify who holds your former employer’s archive, you can start with the National Archives or with the insolvency practitioner, if the bankruptcy procedure is still accessible. Start early: timelines here are far longer than the 15 days from an active employer.
The best moment: right when you leave
When the contract ends, the employer must issue the certificate automatically, together with an extract from the employee register. Do not leave without them — ten years later, when you file for a pension, you will be grateful you asked at the time.
See also the guides on the individual employment contract and on resignation and notice, where the seniority certificate appears among the documents to request on departure.
Steps to follow
- Send a written request to the employer. The certificate is requested in writing — by e-mail with confirmation, through the registry office, or by registered post. Keep proof of the date, because the legal deadline runs from it.
- Wait a maximum of 15 working days. Your employer or former employer is legally obliged to issue the certificate within 15 working days of your written request. Failure to comply is sanctioned with a fine.
- Check what the certificate contains. The document must attest to the activity performed, its duration, the salary, the seniority in work and the seniority in the specialty, according to the data in the employee register and your personal file.
- If the company has closed, find the archive. When an employer went bankrupt or was struck off, its archive was taken over by an authorised archiving operator. They issue certificates, usually for a fee, based on the documents held.
- For pre-2011 periods, use the work booklet. For activity performed up to 31 December 2010, the work booklet remains the official document proving seniority. Keep it — there is no electronic record for those periods.
- On leaving the company, ask for it automatically. When the contract ends, the employer must issue the certificate without you asking, together with an extract from the general register of employees. Do not leave without them.
Required documents
- The written request addressed to the employer or former employer
- Identity document
- The work booklet, for periods worked up to 31 December 2010
- Documents proving your link to the employer, if the archive is held by a private operator
Costs
| What you pay | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate from the employer | Free | It is a legal obligation of the employer, not a service |
| Certificate from an archiving operator | For a fee | Set by the private operator holding the closed company's archive |
| Fine for a refusing employer | 3,000 – 5,000 lei | Applied for failing to issue the certificate within the legal term |
Fees change over time. Always check the current amounts on the official websites listed under “Official sources”.
How long it takes
A maximum of 15 working days from the written request, for active employers. For archives held by private operators, timelines differ and can be considerably longer — start early, especially if you need it for a pension file.
Frequently asked questions
What changed in 2026?
With the transition to the Reges-Online platform, territorial labour inspectorates no longer issue certificates on employers' behalf. From 2026, the certificate is requested exclusively from the employer or former employer, who remains the only party obliged to issue it.
My former employer refuses or keeps delaying. What can I do?
Send the request in writing, with proof of the date (registered post or e-mail). If you do not receive the certificate within 15 working days, you can notify the territorial labour inspectorate — failure to issue it carries a fine of 3,000-5,000 lei.
The company I worked for no longer exists. Where do I get the certificate?
The archives of closed or bankrupt companies are taken over by authorised archiving operators. You need to identify who holds your former employer's archive and request the certificate from them — usually for a fee. You can start the search at the National Archives or with the insolvency practitioner, if the procedure is still accessible.
I lost my work booklet. How do I prove pre-2011 seniority?
For periods before 2011 there is no electronic record, so seniority must be reconstructed from other documents: certificates from former employers, payrolls from archives, contracts, decisions. The procedure is laborious — which is why the work booklet deserves careful keeping.
I need it for my pension. What must it contain?
For a pension file, the certificate must attest to the periods worked, the salaries earned and any bonuses or special/difficult working conditions. Ask the employer to include bonuses explicitly — adding them later is much harder to obtain.
Can I get an extract directly from the electronic register?
Yes, for periods worked after 2011 there is an electronic employee record from which an extract can be obtained. The employer must give you this extract when the contract ends, alongside the certificate.