Swedish Public Notary

Public notaries in Sweden are appointed by the local County Administrative Board. There are approx. 250 public notaries in Sweden, but there is no register of all Swedish public notaries. The Swedish legal system does not operate with the concept of authentic acts or instruments. However, the role of a public notary in Sweden is to legalise numerous documents. Besides, public notaries in Sweden are members of the Swedish Bar Association, the same that includes lawyers in Sweden. However, the certification of a document from a public notary in Sweden does not mean legal correctness or authentication of the act’s content.

Admission

Public notaries in Sweden must be lawyers, but not necessary advocates or associates at a law firm. Therefore, the requirements are similar for the admission of lawyers in the Swedish Bar of Association. In other words, a public notary in Sweden must be a Swedish or EU resident, with a bachelor or master degree in law. Practising for five years and passing the examination are also requirements that need to be met in order to become a lawyer and then a public notary in Sweden.

Activities

A public notary in Sweden legalises signatures only if the persons who sign the documents are in a public notary’s office. A Swedish public notary also deals with the legalisation of photocopies, provided that the original document is brought to the office of the public notary in Sweden. A Swedish public notary can also legalise the signature of an authorised signatory on the basis of an extract from the Swedish Companies Registration Office. Other legal activities of public notaries in Sweden include attending as witnesses in certain cases, attesting transcriptions and translations of documents or confirming that someone is authorised for certain positions.

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