Abstract: The invention relates to a device for connecting and locking two building boards, in particular floor panels, on their longitudinal sides and/or transverse sides in the horizontal and vertical direction through an essentially vertical joining movement. The building boards have a top side and an underside. On their lateral edges (I, II) to be connected to one another are provided with profiles corresponding to one another, and a locking element is provided in the profile of the first building board, which locking element has an inner end and an outer end and is inserted with the inner end in a groove of the first building board, and which interacts with a locking depression provided in the profile of the second building board such that the two building boards are automatically locked in the vertical direction with the joining movement.