Notarial Training

Anybody wanting to become a civil law notary needs to be employed with a notary as a candidate-notary. The notarial chamber which has competence for the federal state is notified when a notary recruits a candidate. Candidates must be law school graduates and have completed at least nine months of practical training at court. At the office of the trainer-notary, candidates are able to gather practical experiences in the different fields of notarial work.

Exam
To qualify as a notary, candidates must sit for a two-part exam. Both parts include an oral and a written examination and must be passed within a given timeframe. The exam is administered by a four-member board of examiners: the president (vice-president) of the competent higher regional court, one judge and two notaries.

Further education
Civil law notarial training does not end with passing the exam. All civil law notaries and candidate-notaries are under an obligation to upgrade and broaden their skills through further education. The Notarial Academy and the Society of Candidate-Notaries run a comprehensive programme of further education events.

Appointment
Civil law notaries are appointed by the Federal Minister for Justice. Candidates applying for a vacant notarial post must have at least seven years of professional experience of a predominantly notarial nature. This includes at least three years of practical work which the candidate must have completed at the civil law notary's office after having successfully passed the exam to qualify as a civil law notary.