Certification of Documents by the Notary (Noter)

Who is the Noter in Turkey? You have surely heard of, or carried out, some transaction with the notary (Noter) in Turkey. In this article, we will get an overview of this institution.

It is important for a resident of, or someone wishing to reside in, Turkey to have an understanding of certain legal matters in order to carry out procedures correctly in Turkey. Who is the Noter? What tasks are entrusted to them? What transactions do they carry out? What are the costs involved in carrying out a given procedure? We will cover all of this information following this table of contents:

• What is the Turkish notary office (Noter)

• Who is qualified to work as a Turkish notary, or the requirements for obtaining the title of notary

• Regarding the staff working at the Turkish notary office, there are certain conditions that must be met

• The transactions and procedures that can be carried out at the Turkish notary

• Sworn translation and certification with Hallak Services Company — why Hallak Services Company

What Is the Turkish Notary Office (Noter)?

"Noter" in Turkish corresponds to "kâtib bi-l-'adl" (notary public) in Arabic. It is a quasi-governmental institution authorized by the Turkish state to formalize contracts and certify and approve documents and records in accordance with Turkish law, keeping a copy of them in the notary's archive; an electronic copy can also be uploaded if requested during the procedure. The word "noter" originates from Latin, where it meant "scribe/clerk" under Roman law. The Turkish word "noter" corresponds to the French word "notaire," carrying the same meaning.

The purpose of this institution is to have a body that formalizes transactions between individuals and institutions, giving them official standing in accordance with Turkish law — for example, certifying documents translated into Turkish so that they become valid for use within Turkish territory, such as powers of attorney, certificates, and passports.

Who Is Qualified to Work as a Turkish Notary, or the Requirements for Obtaining the Title of Notary?

It is certainly not easy to obtain the title of Turkish notary, as there are strict criteria and requirements, in addition to a waiting period for approvals that can take years. The requirements a notary must meet are as follows:

1. Holding a law degree.

2. Proof of at least 4 years of work experience in law or legal practice.

3. A training certificate obtained at a notary's office.

4. Judges and prosecutors of various kinds may work as notaries if they have obtained a training certificate at a notary's office.

5. They must certainly be a Turkish citizen.

Regarding the Staff Working at the Turkish Notary Office, There Are Certain Conditions That Must Be Met:

• Must be a Turkish citizen.

• Must have no criminal record.

• Must obtain a certain certificate in order to be accepted.

• Must hold at least a high school diploma.

In summary, the people working at the Turkish notary office must be competent individuals with a sufficient sense of responsibility, and adequately knowledgeable in providing services to citizens.

The Transactions and Procedures That Can Be Carried Out at the Turkish Notary:

Transactions at the Turkish notary are carried out under the law to formally link natural and legal persons — such as institutions and companies — and to give official standing to transactions, whether personal or commercial. In summary, the notary's functions are as follows:

• Certifying sale and purchase contracts for movable and immovable property.

• Certifying vehicle sale contracts and issuing the necessary licenses.

• Certifying official foreign identification documents and records, after they have been translated by a certified Turkish sworn translator (Hallak Services Company for sworn translation).

• Sending official notices to relevant parties and communicating officially through the Turkish notary office.

• Powers of attorney of all kinds, whether for lawyers, private powers of attorney, or general powers of attorney.

Note: foreign documents are not accepted unless they have been translated by a sworn translator and certified at the Turkish notary.

• Promise-of-sale contracts (for example, purchasing property still under construction).

• Inheritance matters concerning immovable property.

• All inheritance-related transactions.

• Partnership agreements.

• Financial bonds and instruments.

• Certification of all documents translated into Turkish.

• Legal undertakings and wills/guardianships.

• Drawing up rental contracts between landlord and tenant.

Sworn Translation and Certification with Hallak Services Company — Why Hallak Services Company?

At Hallak Services Company, we provide you with professional translation services, at the best prices, with quality, accuracy, and fast turnaround. You can send a copy of your documents via WhatsApp and receive them back translated and duly certified, without having to wait.

Our team consists of the best and most experienced translators, built up over our many years in this field.

As for the notary's fees, they currently start from 235 Turkish lira for certifying a single page of a document, and vary depending on the type of transaction, with prices subject to change according to Treasury decisions.