When you arrive in Turkey, you will encounter the term “noter” which needs to be dealt with commonly. You will notice that many transactions carried out by foreigners in Turkey require documentation and attestation from the Notary Office. In this article, we seek to raise awareness about the role of the notary in Turkey, as the notary is the guarantor of legal procedures, and his visit is necessary for every investor in this country, whether in the stages of buying, selling or leasing.

What is meant by a notary public?

The important institution known as Noter, in particular, is defined as a body authorized by the state to organize and authenticate official papers and documents. Its tasks range from organizing contracts related to real estate ownership, obtaining Turkish citizenship for foreigners, registering marriage, inheritance, wills, and other legal matters of importance. Noter in Turkey can be considered a major driver for enhancing the legitimacy of legal procedures and processes, thus enhancing safety and building trust between individuals and institutions.

Noter in Turkey is the individual accredited by the Turkish government to ensure the authenticity of documents and preserve the rights of citizens. He also authenticates documents and agencies, authenticates rental contracts, registers complaints and objections, and conducts purchases and sales of real estate and vehicles. Any person must authenticate his papers by going to the specialized notary in his area. The Turkish government has given the notary stamp a legal character, which makes authenticating documents with a notary stamp an indispensable condition for their official approval and recognition in Turkey. For example, when you buy a car, you can authenticate the contract in the notary to officially become its owner, and no official document is recognized unless it is authenticated by the notary.

What are the tasks of a notary in Turkey?

• Authentication of documents such as: passports, personal identification, birth certificate issued outside Turkey, civil registration issued outside Turkey, car driving certificate, marriage contracts, and educational certificates issued outside Turkey.
• Issuing agencies of both public and private types.
• Pledges, agreements and corporate contracts.
• Authenticating signatures and seals of individuals and companies.
• Authenticating rental contracts in Turkey, whether the property is residential or commercial.

In addition to any document that requires a translation into the Turkish language, it must be authenticated by the notary in Turkey to be official and acceptable when submitted in official transactions in Turkey.

How much are notary fees in Turkey?

The tariff for notary public services has increased by 100% in 2023, according to what official sources in Turkey announced.

Public notary fees are estimated at 1% per 1000 of the value of real estate sales subject to sales in relation to contracts. Provided that these fees are not less than 500 Turkish liras ($26) and not more than 4000 Turkish liras.

The minimum notary fee, which is 30% of the fees charged by a notary on transactions according to monetary regulations, ranges from 8.66 TL to 17.32 TL, while the fees for issuing a will and deed of incorporation range from 391.91 TL to 783.82 TL.

There was also an increase in the fees for each written page from 11.88 Turkish liras to 23.76 Turkish liras, and the fixed fees for each paper transaction requiring registration of transactions increased from 3.71 Turkish liras to 7.42 Turkish liras.