1. A method for testing the authenticity of documents wherein a document ( 10 ) is tested by authenticity criteria, characterized in that at least two different authenticity classes each with one or more authenticity criteria are provided, the individual authenticity classes differing in at least one authenticity criterion, so that requirements for authenticity vary in strictness depending on the authenticity class, an authenticity class is selected from the different authenticity classes and the document ( 10 ) tested by the authenticity criteria of the selected authenticity class, and the document ( 10 ) is assigned the selected authenticity class if the document ( 10 ) meets the authenticity criteria thereof.