Notariswezen

Notariswezen refers to the system and profession of civil-law notaries in the Netherlands. Notaries are public officials authorized to draft and authenticate notarial deeds and to provide juridical advice in matters such as real estate transfers, wills and succession, family law, company law and administrative acts. Notarial acts have public authenticity and are often required by law for validity.

The Notariswezen operates under national legislation, notably the Notariswet, and within a regulatory framework that combines public supervision with professional self-regulation. The profession is organized through the Koninklijke Notariële Beroepsorganisatie (KNB), which sets professional standards, ethics, and offers education and training and disciplinary guidance. Notaries practice as independent professionals with their own offices; they are civil-law notaries rather than general practitioners.

Education and training: To become a notary, a candidate completes a university-level law education and then follows a specialized notarial training program (notariële opleiding) administered by the KNB, culminating in the appointment as a civil-law notary. All notaries must maintain ongoing professional education to keep up with evolving law.

Activities: Practice includes drafting and authenticating deeds for conveyancing and mortgages, wills and estate settlement, marriage contracts, formation and modification of companies, administration of succession and guardianship matters, and the attestation of signatures and copies. Notaries also maintain and safeguard original documents and official registers.

Comparison: The Notariswezen is characteristic of civil-law jurisdictions where notaries act as public officials with a trusted role; it differs from common-law systems where attorneys or solicitors perform similar tasks and from other countries with different notarial frameworks.