Notary

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Notary

“Hello Maître…” will be a familiar phrase for you if you choose to become a notary! The notary is popular with law students because it is the only professional authorized to authenticate real estate sales, inheritances, donations... Discover here the daily life of a notary and his training course.

Find on the notary job sheet all the useful information about this job: Salary, studies, training, role, notary job description, the qualities and skills required to work as a notary. The notary profession is part of the Legal field.
What is a Notary?

Representatives of state power, appointed by the Keeper of the Seals, the 15,000 French notaries are public officers. Each document, deed or contract, signed, dated, and kept by a notary confers legal authenticity with regard to the Law. A notary (ROME code D1214) works in various fields. If he is traditionally associated with family law (marriage contracts, donations, inheritances, wills), the notary also practices in matters of real estate law (signing of sale, preliminary contract, negotiation of sale) or law companies, for example (management and conservation of corporate documents, shareholder agreements). Beyond his role of authentication, the notary is obliged to advise his clients, and can also play the role of mediator and negotiator: finding a compromise when two parties disagree, always respecting the law during an inheritance or when drawing up contracts. Apart from his status as a public officer, the notary is a private sector professional, who may have to manage collaborators (notary clerk, accountant, legal assistant, etc.).
Diplomas to become a Notary.

     Master 2 in notarial law
     DSN, Higher notarial diploma
     DAFN, Diploma of aptitude for the functions of notary.

Diplomas to become a Notary
Training to become a Notary.

After the baccalaureate, you will turn to law studies. On Parcoursup, the requirements for a law degree mention in particular an appetite for law and advising people. There are two courses to become a notary. After a master 1 in law (bac + 4), the candidate can:

     Either continue through university and join a master 2 in notarial law, offered by around twenty French faculties. After his master 2 year, the future notary continues his training with two years of internship (as an employee) which will conclude with the defense of an internship report, and the final obtaining of the DSN, Higher Diploma of Notariat.
     Or join one of the eleven CFPN, Notarial Professional Training Centers after passing the entrance exam. Following a year of training, the student takes an exam allowing them to obtain the DAFN, Diploma of Aptitude for the Functions of Notary and to begin a two-year internship, punctuated by continuous checks.

Good to know: notary clerks (with 9 years of experience) and other legal professionals can become a notary after prior preparation (2 years) and passing a technical knowledge control exam.

Are you considering a career as a Notary? Discover the different steps to train in this profession.