The first private notaries started offering their services in Turkmenistan. They are based at the Ashgabat State Notary Office at address 85 Gorogly Street, according to the Legal Department of Business Turkmenistan.
Private notaries provide legal advice and perform notarial acts such as certifying documents and making copies, as well as offer other legal and technical services outside their offices, including weekends and public holidays.
The new Law of Turkmenistan on Notaries and Notarial Activity entered into force on January 1, 2023. This law provided for the operation of private notaries on the basis of a licence, in addition to notaries of state notary offices.
According to the procedure approved in July this year, based on the number of notarial acts performed by notaries over the past 3 years, one private notary is determined for 300-400 notarial acts per month, one private notary for 30 thousand inhabitants in the cities of Ashgabat, Arkadag and cities of regional centers, one private notary for 25 thousand inhabitants in cities with the district status, one private notary for 20 thousand inhabitants in districts.
A private notary may also work on settlements distant from the state notary's office.
A fee is charged for the performance of their services. The fee is indicated on each notarized document and is transferred to the special bank account of the private notary.