Chương II Nghị định 29/2015/NĐ-CP: Tổ chức hành nghề công chứng

Chapter II

NOTARY ORGANIZATIONS

Section 1. CONVERSION OF PUBLIC NOTARY OFFICE INTO PRIVATE NOTARY OFFICE

Article 3. Targets, requirements of conversion

1. Keep implementing policies on private sector involvement in notarization.

2. Ensure the balance of state interest, notaries, civil servants, and employees of converted public notary offices.

3. Ensure openness, transparency, democracy, and objectivity according to the Law on Notarization, this Decree, and relevant legislative documents; ensure the sustentation and inheritance of the converted public notary offices.

4. Adhere to the roadmap and Master plan for development of notary organizations approved by the Prime Minister.

Article 4. Rules for converting public notary offices

1. A private notary office converted from a public notary office shall inherit every right, obligation, and notary documents of the old public notary office.

2. Benefits of notaries, civil servants, employees of the old public notary office must be ensured in accordance with regulations of law on civil servants and labour.

3. A private notary office converted from a public notary office must sign employment contracts with notaries, civil servants, employees of the old public notary office, unless they do not wish to keep working at the private notary office. Contents, duration, and terms of the contracts must comply with this Decree and relevant regulations of law.

4. State-owned property under the management of the public notary office shall be handled in accordance with law to avoid loss during the conversion.

Article 5. Cases of converting public notary offices

1. The district has enough notary organizations according to the Master Plan for development of notary organizations approved by the Prime Minister and there are more private notary offices than public notary offices.

2. The district has not have enough notary organizations according to the Master Plan for development of notary organizations approved by the Prime Minister but at least 02 private notary offices have stably operated for 02 years or longer from their registration dates.

Article 6. Plan for converting public notary offices

1. If there is at least 05 public notary offices in a province, the Department of Justice of such province shall cooperate with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Internal Affairs, and the provincial of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs in formulating the plan for converting public notary offices, which is then submitted to the People’s Committee of the province for approval.

The People’s Committee of the province shall consider approving the plan for converting public notary offices. Opinions of the Ministry of Justice may be sought where necessary.

2. The plan for converting public notary offices include:

a) The necessity of conversion;

b) The number of public notary offices to be converted as prescribed in Article 5 of this Decree;

c) The road map for conversion;

d) Responsibility for plan implementation.

3. Pursuant to the Plan for converting public notary offices approved by the People’s Committee of the province, the provincial Department of Justice shall cooperate with the provincial Department of Finance, Department of Internal Affairs, and Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs in formulating a conversion project for each public notary office following the procedures in Article 7 of this Decree.

If there is fewer than 05 public notary offices in the province, the plan for converting public notary offices is not required. Instead, the conversion project for each public notary office shall be made in accordance with Article 7 of this Decree.

Article 7. Plan for converting public notary offices

1. The provincial Department of Justice shall cooperate with the Department of Finance, Department of Internal Affair, the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, socio-professional organizations of notaries (if any) in holding meetings with notaries, civil servants, and employees of the public notary offices to be converted. The meetings shall be participated by political organizations, socio-political organizations of public notary offices to assess the organization and operation of the public notary office; consider the expectation and propose benefits of notaries, civil servants, and employees of the public notary office; the plan for settlement of property of the public notary office, and other issues related to the conversion of the public notary office.

Minutes of meeting must be made.

2. On the basis of the meeting with the public notary office to be converted, the Department of Justice shall cooperate with the Department of Internal Affairs, and Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs in formulating a public notary office conversion project, which is then submitted to the People’s Committee of the province.

The project shall specify:

a) The necessity of conversion;

b) Results of survey, assessment of the organization and operation of the public notary office to be converted over the last 03 years;

c) The conversion price;

The conversion price is determined according to the evaluation of the organization, operation, and reputation of the public notary office to be converted, the number of contracts and transactions notarized at the public notary office over the last 03 years. The conversion price does not include the value of the office building, equipment, and other state-owned property being used by or under the management of the public notary office;

d) The conversion method is specified in Article 8 of this Decree;

dd) Proposed plans for provision of benefits of notaries, civil servants, employees; plan for settlement of property and other issues of the public notary office after conversion;

e) Responsibility of the Department of Justice, Department of Internal Affairs, the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, and relevant organizations to implement the project.

3. The People’s Committee of the province shall issue a decision to approve the project within 15 days from the day on which the project is received. Opinions of the Ministry of Justice may be sought where necessary.

4. Within 07 working days from the day on which the People’s Committee of the province issues the decision to approve the conversion project, the Department of Justice shall send a written notification to the public notary office to be converted, the socio-professional organization of notaries of the approved conversion project. If the plan for calling bids for the right to conversion, the project shall be notified to all local notary organizations.

Article 8. Method for converting public notary offices

1. The right to conversion of the public notary office shall be transferred to the notaries working at the public notary office at the price approved by the People’s Committee of the province. Notaries of the public notary office to be converted are entitled to participate in the conversion of the public notary office. The head of the public notary office shall compile a list of notaries of the public notary office and send it to the Department of Justice, then the provincial Department of Justice shall send a report to the People’s Committee of the province for consideration.

2. The right to conversion of the public notary office shall be put up for auction if its value is high and other local notaries eligible for making bids as prescribed in Article 9 of this Decree file written requests for participate in the auction of right to conversion of the public notary office. In this case, the Department of Justice shall cooperate with the Department of Finance in requesting the People’s Committee of the province to consider establishing an Auction Council.

If equal bids are made by notaries, the notaries of the public notary office to be converted shall be given the preemptive right. If equal highest bids are made by notaries of the public notary office or by notaries who do not work at the public notary office, the Auction Council shall draw lots to select the successful bidder.

Article 9. Conditions for making bids for the right to conversion

1. The bidder for the right to conversion of the public notary office must be a notary practicing in the province in which the public notary office is located; the intended head of the private notary office must have worked as a notary for at least 02 years.

Any notary who is the head of a private notary office or a general partner of private notary office shall not be allowed to bid for the right to conversion of the public notary office.

2. An application for participation in the auction must be participated by at least 02 notaries. The application must contain their written commitments to employ and sign employment contracts with notaries, civil servants, and employees of the converted public notary office in order to ensure that such people keep doing the same job as before the conversion.

Article 10. Plan for converting public notary offices

1. The People’s Committee of the province shall issue a decision to convert the public notary office into a private notary office at the request of the Department of Justice.

2. The private notary office shall follow procedures for registration prescribed by the Law on Notarization. The converted public notary office may operate until the private notary office is issued with the certificate of registration.

3. Within 15 days from the issuance date of the certificate of registration, the private notary office must sign employment contracts with notaries, civil servants, and employees of the converted public notary office.

Employment contracts between the private notary office and notaries or civil servants of the converted public notary office shall be indefinite contracts, unless otherwise agreed by both parties.

Employment contracts between the private notary office and employees of the converted public notary office shall be the same types of contracts with the public notary office, unless otherwise agreed by both parties.

Article 11. Benefits for notaries, civil servants, employees of converted public notary office

1. Benefits of notaries, civil servants, employees of the converted public notary office must be provided in accordance with regulations of law on shut down of public service agencies.

2. Any notary of the public notary office who switches over to working for the private notary office shall terminates his/her employment contract with the public notary office and receive benefits as prescribed by law.

Notaries and civil servants that resign or are eligible for retirement shall receive corresponding benefits as prescribed by law.

3. Any employee of the public notary office who switches over to working for the private notary office shall terminates his/her employment contract with the public notary office and receive corresponding benefits as prescribed by law.

Employees that resign or eligible for retirement shall receive corresponding benefits as prescribed by law.

4. The Department of Internal Affairs shall take charge and cooperate with the Department of Justice, Department of Finance, Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs in requesting the People’s Committee of the province to consider benefits of notaries, civil servants, employees of converted public notary offices as prescribed in Clause 1, Clause 2, and Clause 3 of this Article.

Article 12. Settlement of property of converted public notary office

1. State-owned property that are being used or under the management of the public notary office shall be handled in accordance with regulations of law on management and use of state-owned property.

2. The Department of Finance shall take charge and cooperate with the Department of Justice in requesting the People’s Committee of the province to decide settlement of property as prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article.

Section 2. AMALGAMATION, ACQUISITION, TRANSFER OF PRIVATE NOTARY OFFICES

Article 13. Amalgamation of private notary office

1. Each consolidated private notary office prescribed in Clause 1 Article 28 of the Law on Notarization shall submit 01 application for consolidation to the Department of Justice where the private notary office is registered. The application consists of:

a) A private notary office consolidation contract, specifying the names, addresses of consolidating private notary offices; name, address of the consolidated private notary office; time of consolidation; plan for transferring property of consolidating private notary offices to the consolidated private notary office; employment plan of the consolidated private notary office; inheritance of every lawful right, obligation, and interest of consolidating private notary offices, and relevant information.

Each consolidating private notary office shall appoint a general partner as the representative to sign the consolidation contract;

b) Tax declarations and audited financial statements of the last 03 years of consolidating private notary offices prior to the application date;

c) Statistics of notarized documents and existing property of consolidating private notary offices

d) List of notaries being general partners and notaries working under contracts at consolidating private notary offices;

dd) The permissions for establishment and certificates of registration of consolidating private notary offices.

2. Within 20 days from the day on which sufficient and valid documents prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article are received, the Department of Justice shall seek opinions from socio-professional organizations of notaries and request the People’s Committee of the province to consider permitting the consolidation of private notary offices.

3. Within 15 days from the day on which the request of the Department of Justice is received, the People’s Committee of the province shall consider permitting the consolidation. If consolidation is rejected, explanation must be provided in writing.

4. Within 15 days from the receipt of the Permission for consolidation, the consolidated private notary office must register its operation at the Department of Justice. When applying for registration, the following documents must be submitted: the registration form, the Permission for consolidation of private notary offices, documents proving the facilities of the private notary office, and certificates of practice registration of notaries.

Within 10 working days from the day on which the sufficient and valid documents are received, the Department of Justice shall issue the certificate of registration to the consolidated private notary office, remove the names of consolidating private notary offices from the list. If registration is rejected, explanation must be provided in writing.

5. While following procedures for consolidation, consolidating private notary offices may keep operating until the consolidated private notary office is issued with the certificate of registration by the Department of Justice. The consolidated private notary office shall inherit every the right, obligation, and notarization orders of the consolidating private notary offices, and is responsible for retaining all notarization documents of the consolidating private notary offices.

6. The provision, publishing of information about registration of the consolidated private notary office shall comply with Article 25 and Article 26 of the Law on Notarization.

Article 14. Acquisition of private notary offices

1. The acquired private notary offices prescribed in Clause 2 Article 28 of the Law on Notarization shall submit 01 application for acquisition to the Department of Justice where the private notary office is registered. The application consists of:

a) A private notary office acquisition contract, specifying the names, addresses of acquired private notary offices; name, address of the acquirer; time of acquisition; plan for transferring property of acquired private notary offices to the acquirer; employment plan of the acquirer; inheritance of every the lawful right, obligation, and interest of the acquired private notary offices, and relevant information.

Each of the acquired private notary offices shall appoint a partner notary as the representative to sign the acquisition contract.

b) Tax declarations and audited financial statements of the last 03 years of private notary offices prior to the application date;

c) Statistics of notarized documents and existing property of private notary offices;

d) List of notaries being partner notaries and notaries working under contracts of private notary offices;

dd) The permissions for establishment and certificates of registration of private notary offices.

2. Within 20 days from the day on which sufficient and valid documents prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article are received, the Department of Justice shall seek opinions from socio-professional organizations of notaries and request the People’s Committee of the province to consider permitting the acquisition of private notary offices.

3. Within 15 days from the day on which the request of the Department of Justice is received, the People’s Committee of the province shall consider permitting the acquisition. If acquisition is rejected, explanation must provided in writing.

4. Within 15 days from the receipt of the Permission for acquisition, the acquirer must apply for changes of registration information as prescribed in Article 24 of the Law on Notarization. When applying for changes of information, the following documents must be submitted: the registration form, the Permission for acquisition of private notary offices, documents proving the facilities of the acquirer, and certificates of practice registration of notaries of acquired private notary offices.

5. While following procedures for acquisition, the acquired private notary offices may keep operating until the acquirer’s registration information is changed. The acquirer shall inherit every the right, obligation, and notarization orders of the acquired private notary offices, and is responsible for retaining all notarization documents of the acquired private notary offices.

6. The provision, publishing of information about registration of the acquirer shall comply with Article 25 and Article 26 of the Law on Notarization.

Article 15. Transfer of private notary offices

1. Any entity that wishes to transfer a private notary office as prescribed in Article 29 of the Law on Notarization shall submit 01 application for transfer to the Department of Justice where the private notary office is registered. The application consists of:

a) The transfer contract, specifying the name, address, list of partner notaries of the private notary office; names, numbers of decisions of designation for the transferee notaries; transfer price, payment and procedures for transfer of the private notary office; rights and obligations of both parties, and relevant information.

The transfer contract must bear the signatures of partner notaries of the private notary office being transferred, the transferee notaries, and must be notarized;

b) Written commitments of transferee notaries to inherit every right, obligation, unfinished notarization orders, and documents of the private notary office being transferred;

c) Statistics of notarized documents of the private notary office being transferred;

d) Copies of Decision of designation of transferee notaries; documents proving that the intended head of the private notary office has worked as a notary for 02 years or longer;

dd) The permissions for establishment and Certificate of registration of the private notary office being transferred;

e) Tax declarations and audited financial statements of the last 03 years of the private notary office being transferred.

2. Within 20 days from the day on which sufficient and valid documents prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article are received, the Department of Justice shall seek opinions from socio-professional organizations of notaries and request the People’s Committee of the province to consider permitting the transfer.

Within 15 days from the day on which the request of the Department of Justice is received, the People’s Committee of the province shall consider permitting the transfer. If the transfer is rejected, explanation must be provided in writing.

3. Transferee notaries shall apply for changes to regulations information of private notary office being transferred as prescribed in Article 24 of the Law on Notarization.

The application for changes of registration information include: the registration form, the Permission for transfer of the private notary office, documents proving the facilities of the private notary office being transferred, and certificates of practice registration of notaries.

4. While following procedures for transfer, the private notary office may keep operating until the private notary office of the transferee notaries is reissued with the certificate of registration.

5. The provision, publishing of information about registration of the private notary office after transfer shall comply with Article 25 and Article 26 of the Law on Notarization.

Section 3. Regulations on incentive policies for private notary offices in disadvantaged areas and extremely disadvantaged areas; conditions of private notary offices; posting of reception of orders for notarization for agreement on division of inheritance, declaration of inheritance reception

Article 16. Incentive policies for private notary offices in disadvantaged areas or disadvantaged areas

1. Incentive policies for private notary offices in disadvantaged areas or disadvantaged areas shall have the following incentives:

a) Tax incentives prescribed by regulations of law on corporate income tax;

b) The right to lease office building at concessional rates, borrow office building, be provided with support for working equipment for the first 03 years of operation.

2. The People’s Committees of provinces shall consider deciding the incentives mentioned in Point b Clause 1 of this Article and other supports for private notary offices in disadvantaged areas or disadvantaged areas.

Article 17. Facilities of private notary offices

1. The private notary office must have a specific address, working places for notaries and employees that have sufficient area according to regulations of law on standards and norms of office buildings of public service agencies, places for receiving clients and storing notarization documents.

2. The notary that establishes the private notary office shall documents proving the satisfactoriness of the facilities of the private notary office at the time of registration.

3. Departments of Justice shall inspect the satisfactoriness of facilities of private notary offices when they apply for registration.

Article 18. Posting orders for notarization of agreements on division of inheritance, declaration of inheritance reception.

1. The reception of orders for notarization of agreements on division of inheritance, declaration of inheritance reception must be posted for 15 days. The document shall be posted by the notary organization at the People’s Committee of the commune where the last permanent residence of the inheritance leaver; if such residence is not identifiable, the document shall be posted where the last temporary residence of such person is located.

If the inheritance comprises both real estate and movable estate or the inheritance is only real estate, the document shall be posted in accordance with this Clause at the People’s Committee of the commune where the real estate is located.

If the inheritance comprises only movable estate, the notary office and the deceased’s last permanent or temporary residence are not in the same province, then the notary office may request the People’s Committee of the commune where the deceased’s residence is located to impose the deadline for posting.

2. The document must specify the full name of the deceased; full names of beneficiaries; relationships of beneficiaries and the deceased, the list of inheritance. The posted document must specify that any complaint or denunciation against unintentional or deliberate omission of inheritance beneficiaries or inheritors; the inheritance is not under the ownership of the deceased has been sent to the notary office which posts the document.

3. The People’s Committee of the commune where the document is posted shall confirm the receipt of the posted document and protect the document throughout the posting period.