A Latvian notārs (notary) is a sworn legal professional licensed by the Ministry of Justice. Notaries are not civil servants but exercise delegated state authority. Every transfer of immovable property in Latvia must pass through a notary — attendance before a notary is mandatory, not optional.
The notary's function is to authenticate (apliecināt) the identity of the parties, verify their legal capacity, explain the legal consequences of the transaction, and certify that the deed was executed voluntarily. Authenticated notarial acts have the force of a court judgment for enforcement purposes.
For property transactions the notary reads the deed to both parties in its entirety, which is a legal requirement in Latvia. Both parties must confirm they understand and agree before signing. The notary then certifies the signatures and submits the Zemesgrāmata registration application.
Notary fees in Latvia are set by the Cabinet of Ministers and scaled to the transaction value. The fee includes the notarisation, the registration application, and a certified copy of the deed for each party. Additional fees apply for services such as translating or certifying foreign documents.
Latvia has over 100 sworn notaries practising across the country. You may choose any notary regardless of where the property is located. Some notaries specialise in real estate transactions and can advise on typical market practices, though they remain neutral between the parties.
Yes. A notarised power of attorney (pilnvara) allows a representative to act on your behalf at the notary. Foreign powers of attorney need apostille certification.
The Latvian Council of Sworn Notaries (Latvijas Zvērinātu Notāru Padome) maintains an official directory at notary.lv with all practising notaries and their contact details.
Yes. A notary must refuse if the transaction is illegal, if a party lacks capacity, if there is an unresolved encumbrance, or if the notary has a personal conflict of interest.