The role of the notary: what are his areas of expertise?

Updated on Tuesday 3 June 2025

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Call upon a notary

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Notary’s role

The notary is a legal officer with a mission of public authority who prepares contracts in their authentic form on behalf of its clients. It exercises functions within a liberal framework.
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The notary's authentic act

The authentic act is an act which is received by a competent public officer to instrument it in the place where it was drawn up. It is different from the private act which is signed only by the parties and can be regulated anywhere.
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The notary's main areas of intervention

Notary's mission :"Notaries are the public officers established to receive deeds and contracts to make these authentic, are attached to acts of public authority, and to ensure the date, keep the deposit, issue grosses and expeditions thereof." The Ordinance dated November 2, 1945
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The notary’s obligations

Understanding Notary Fees

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Notary tariffs: emoluments and fees

The amount that one pays to the notary, which we commonly and improperly call "notary fees" actually includes taxes (approx. 8/10th of fees), disbursement (1/10th of fees) and notary’s compensation (1/10th of fees).
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Cost of buying a house : Conveyancing fees

During a real estate purchase, the buyer must pay taxes and additional fees at the selling price. In the new market, these fees amount to 2 to 3% of the selling price. We are talking about "reduced fees" or "reduced notaire fees".
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Power of Attorney at the Notary’s Office

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Yes. The original of a will is kept by the notary who has custody of it, meaning the one who received it and filed it among his official records (Article 1007 of the French Civil Code). The notary you have appointed to handle the estate therefore only has a copy.
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No. In the event of loss, it is not possible to obtain a copy of the family record book. According to Article 15 of Decree No. 74-449 of 15 May 1974, only a second family record book may be issued, and only to spouses or parents who do not possess…
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A document must be legalised when it is intended for use in a country that is not a signatory to the Hague Convention or to any international agreement waiving such formalities. The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs maintains an up-to-date table listing the formalities required according to the destination…
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Yes, but… The law applicable to your mother’s estate is French law, since her tax residence was in France. You may choose any notary you wish, but only a French notary can file the deeds recording the transfer of ownership of your mother’s real estate with the Land Registry (Article…
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No. In the event of loss, it is not possible to obtain a copy of the family record book. According to Article 15 of Decree No. 74-449 of 15 May 1974, only a second family record book may be issued, and only to spouses or parents who do not possess…
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