Cyprus Public Notary (Certifying Officer)

The profession of public notary in Cyprus does not exist. The duties that usually belong to public notaries in other states are performed by lawyers in Cyprus who are members of the Cyprus Bar Association. There are also certifying officers in Cyprus who can only deal with only one of the notary’s activities, that of authenticating documents. The fees charged by certifying officers in Cyprus are somewhere around 50 EUR, depending on the document and the transaction’s value. Certifying officers in Cyprus are appointed by the Ministry of the Interior and they do not need to have a qualification as lawyers in Cyprus. The regulating body of this profession is also the Ministry of the Interior.

Admission

If a person decides to apply for the position of a Certifying Officer in Cyprus, one must submit an application with the Minister of the Interior. The requirements for a Certifying Officer are not as strict as for a public notary. The candidate must be a citizen in Cyprus, between 35 and 70 years old. He must have a certificate of secondary education and must be registered on the electoral list. In addition to that, he cannot have a profession in public service or in education, nor in a governmental organization. The applicant in Cyprus cannot be a member of any community committee or municipal council and cannot have any professional relation with lawyers, real estate agents, banks, companies or corporations. 

Activities 

The only responsibility a certifying officer in Cyprus has is to authenticate official documents, signatures and all other types of agreements and contracts sealed between two parties as a result of a transaction. All other activities that a public notary should perform are in the duties of lawyers in Cyprus.