中华人民共和国公证法

中华人民共和国主席　胡锦涛

2005年8月28日

中华人民共和国公证法
（2005年8月28日第十届全国人民代表大会常务委员会第十七次会议通过）

目 录

第一章 总 则

第二章 公证机构

第三章 公 证 员

第四章 公证程序

第五章 公证效力

第六章 法律责任

第七章 附 则

第一章 总 则

第一条 为规范公证活动，保障公证机构和公证员依法履行职责，预防纠纷，保障自然人、法人或者其他组织的合法权益，制定本法。

第二条 公证是公证机构根据自然人、法人或者其他组织的申请，依照法定程序对民事法律行为、有法律意义的事实和文书的真实性、合法性予以证明的活动。

第三条 公证机构办理公证，应当遵守法律，坚持客观、公正的原则。

第四条 全国设立中国公证协会，省、自治区、直辖市设立地方公证协会。中国公证协会和地方公证协会是社会团体法人。中国公证协会章程由会员代表大会制定，报国务院司法行政部门备案。

公证协会是公证业的自律性组织，依据章程开展活动，对公证机构、公证员的执业活动进行监督。

第五条 司法行政部门依照本法规定对公证机构、公证员和公证协会进行监督、指导。

第二章 公证机构

第六条 公证机构是依法设立，不以营利为目的，依法独立行使公证职能、承担民事责任的证明机构。

第七条 公证机构按照统筹规划、合理布局的原则，可以在县、不设区的市、设区的市、直辖市或者市辖区设立；在设区的市、直辖市可以设立一个或者若干个公证机构。公证机构不按行政区划层层设立。

第八条 设立公证机构，应当具备下列条件：

（一）有自己的名称；

（二）有固定的场所；

（三）有二名以上公证员；

（四）有开展公证业务所必需的资金。

第九条 设立公证机构，由所在地的司法行政部门报省、自治区、直辖市人民政府司法行政部门按照规定程序批准后，颁发公证机构执业证书。

第十条 公证机构的负责人应当在有三年以上执业经历的公证员中推选产生，由所在地的司法行政部门核准，报省、自治区、直辖市人民政府司法行政部门备案。

第十一条 根据自然人、法人或者其他组织的申请，公证机构办理下列公证事项：

（一）合同；

（二）继承；

（三）委托、声明、赠与、遗嘱；

（四）财产分割；

（五）招标投标、拍卖；

（六）婚姻状况、亲属关系、收养关系；

（七）出生、生存、死亡、身份、经历、学历、学位、职务、职称、有无违法犯罪记录；

（八）公司章程；

（九）保全证据；

（十）文书上的签名、印鉴、日期，文书的副本、影印本与原本相符；

（十一）自然人、法人或者其他组织自愿申请办理的其他公证事项。

法律、行政法规规定应当公证的事项，有关自然人、法人或者其他组织应当向公证机构申请办理公证。

第十二条 根据自然人、法人或者其他组织的申请，公证机构可以办理下列事务：

（一）法律、行政法规规定由公证机构登记的事务；

（二）提存；

（三）保管遗嘱、遗产或者其他与公证事项有关的财产、物品、文书；

（四）代写与公证事项有关的法律事务文书；

（五）提供公证法律咨询。

第十三条 公证机构不得有下列行为：

（一）为不真实、不合法的事项出具公证书；

（二）毁损、篡改公证文书或者公证档案；

（三）以诋毁其他公证机构、公证员或者支付回扣、佣金等不正当手段争揽公证业务；

（四）泄露在执业活动中知悉的国家秘密、商业秘密或者个人隐私；

（五）违反规定的收费标准收取公证费；

（六）法律、法规、国务院司法行政部门规定禁止的其他行为。

第十四条 公证机构应当建立业务、财务、资产等管理制度，对公证员的执业行为进行监督，建立执业过错责任追究制度。

第十五条 公证机构应当参加公证执业责任保险。

第三章 公 证 员

第十六条 公证员是符合本法规定的条件，在公证机构从事公证业务的执业人员。

第十七条 公证员的数量根据公证业务需要确定。省、自治区、直辖市人民政府司法行政部门应当根据公证机构的设置情况和公证业务的需要核定公证员配备方案，报国务院司法行政部门备案。

第十八条 担任公证员，应当具备下列条件：

（一）具有中华人民共和国国籍；

（二）年龄二十五周岁以上六十五周岁以下；

（三）公道正派，遵纪守法，品行良好；

（四）通过国家司法考试；

（五）在公证机构实习二年以上或者具有三年以上其他法律职业经历并在公证机构实习一年以上，经考核合格。

第十九条 从事法学教学、研究工作，具有高级职称的人员，或者具有本科以上学历，从事审判、检察、法制工作、法律服务满十年的公务员、律师，已经离开原工作岗位，经考核合格的，可以担任公证员。

第二十条 有下列情形之一的，不得担任公证员：

（一）无民事行为能力或者限制民事行为能力的；

（二）因故意犯罪或者职务过失犯罪受过刑事处罚的；

（三）被开除公职的；

（四）被吊销执业证书的。

第二十一条 担任公证员，应当由符合公证员条件的人员提出申请，经公证机构推荐，由所在地的司法行政部门报省、自治区、直辖市人民政府司法行政部门审核同意后，报请国务院司法行政部门任命，并由省、自治区、直辖市人民政府司法行政部门颁发公证员执业证书。

第二十二条 公证员应当遵纪守法，恪守职业道德，依法履行公证职责，保守执业秘密。

公证员有权获得劳动报酬，享受保险和福利待遇；有权提出辞职、申诉或者控告；非因法定事由和非经法定程序，不被免职或者处罚。

第二十三条 公证员不得有下列行为：

（一）同时在二个以上公证机构执业；

（二）从事有报酬的其他职业；

（三）为本人及近亲属办理公证或者办理与本人及近亲属有利害关系的公证；

（四）私自出具公证书；

（五）为不真实、不合法的事项出具公证书；

（六）侵占、挪用公证费或者侵占、盗窃公证专用物品；

（七）毁损、篡改公证文书或者公证档案；

（八）泄露在执业活动中知悉的国家秘密、商业秘密或者个人隐私；

（九）法律、法规、国务院司法行政部门规定禁止的其他行为。

第二十四条 公证员有下列情形之一的，由所在地的司法行政部门报省、自治区、直辖市人民政府司法行政部门提请国务院司法行政部门予以免职：

（一）丧失中华人民共和国国籍的；

（二）年满六十五周岁或者因健康原因不能继续履行职务的；

（三）自愿辞去公证员职务的；

（四）被吊销公证员执业证书的。

第四章 公证程序

第二十五条 自然人、法人或者其他组织申请办理公证，可以向住所地、经常居住地、行为地或者事实发生地的公证机构提出。

申请办理涉及不动产的公证，应当向不动产所在地的公证机构提出；申请办理涉及不动产的委托、声明、赠与、遗嘱的公证，可以适用前款规定。

第二十六条 自然人、法人或者其他组织可以委托他人办理公证，但遗嘱、生存、收养关系等应当由本人办理公证的除外。

第二十七条 申请办理公证的当事人应当向公证机构如实说明申请公证事项的有关情况，提供真实、合法、充分的证明材料；提供的证明材料不充分的，公证机构可以要求补充。

公证机构受理公证申请后，应当告知当事人申请公证事项的法律意义和可能产生的法律后果，并将告知内容记录存档。

第二十八条 公证机构办理公证，应当根据不同公证事项的办证规则，分别审查下列事项：

（一）当事人的身份、申请办理该项公证的资格以及相应的权利；

（二）提供的文书内容是否完备，含义是否清晰，签名、印鉴是否齐全；

（三）提供的证明材料是否真实、合法、充分；

（四）申请公证的事项是否真实、合法。

第二十九条 公证机构对申请公证的事项以及当事人提供的证明材料，按照有关办证规则需要核实或者对其有疑义的，应当进行核实，或者委托异地公证机构代为核实，有关单位或者个人应当依法予以协助。

第三十条 公证机构经审查，认为申请提供的证明材料真实、合法、充分，申请公证的事项真实、合法的，应当自受理公证申请之日起十五个工作日内向当事人出具公证书。但是，因不可抗力、补充证明材料或者需要核实有关情况的，所需时间不计算在期限内。

第三十一条 有下列情形之一的，公证机构不予办理公证：

（一）无民事行为能力人或者限制民事行为能力人没有监护人代理申请办理公证的；

（二）当事人与申请公证的事项没有利害关系的；

（三）申请公证的事项属专业技术鉴定、评估事项的；

（四）当事人之间对申请公证的事项有争议的；

（五）当事人虚构、隐瞒事实，或者提供虚假证明材料的；

（六）当事人提供的证明材料不充分或者拒绝补充证明材料的；

（七）申请公证的事项不真实、不合法的；

（八）申请公证的事项违背社会公德的；

（九）当事人拒绝按照规定支付公证费的。

第三十二条 公证书应当按照国务院司法行政部门规定的格式制作，由公证员签名或者加盖签名章并加盖公证机构印章。公证书自出具之日起生效。

公证书应当使用全国通用的文字；在民族自治地方，根据当事人的要求，可以制作当地通用的民族文字文本。

第三十三条 公证书需要在国外使用，使用国要求先认证的，应当经中华人民共和国外交部或者外交部授权的机构和有关国家驻中华人民共和国使（领）馆认证。

第三十四条 当事人应当按照规定支付公证费。

对符合法律援助条件的当事人，公证机构应当按照规定减免公证费。

第三十五条 公证机构应当将公证文书分类立卷，归档保存。法律、行政法规规定应当公证的事项等重要的公证档案在公证机构保存期满，应当按照规定移交地方档案馆保管。

第五章 公证效力

第三十六条 经公证的民事法律行为、有法律意义的事实和文书，应当作为认定事实的根据，但有相反证据足以推翻该项公证的除外。

关联资料：关联案例共2部

第三十七条 对经公证的以给付为内容并载明债务人愿意接受强制执行承诺的债权文书，债务人不履行或者履行不适当的，债权人可以依法向有管辖权的人民法院申请执行。

前款规定的债权文书确有错误的，人民法院裁定不予执行，并将裁定书送达双方当事人和公证机构。

第三十八条 法律、行政法规规定未经公证的事项不具有法律效力的，依照其规定。

第三十九条 当事人、公证事项的利害关系人认为公证书有错误的，可以向出具该公证书的公证机构提出复查。公证书的内容违法或者与事实不符的，公证机构应当撤销该公证书并予以公告，该公证书自始无效；公证书有其他错误的，公证机构应当予以更正。

第四十条 当事人、公证事项的利害关系人对公证书的内容有争议的，可以就该争议向人民法院提起民事诉讼。

第六章 法律责任

第四十一条 公证机构及其公证员有下列行为之一的，由省、自治区、直辖市或者设区的市人民政府司法行政部门给予警告；情节严重的，对公证机构处一万元以上五万元以下罚款，对公证员处一千元以上五千元以下罚款，并可以给予三个月以上六个月以下停止执业的处罚；有违法所得的，没收违法所得：

（一）以诋毁其他公证机构、公证员或者支付回扣、佣金等不正当手段争揽公证业务的；

（二）违反规定的收费标准收取公证费的；

（三）同时在二个以上公证机构执业的；

（四）从事有报酬的其他职业的；

（五）为本人及近亲属办理公证或者办理与本人及近亲属有利害关系的公证的；

（六）依照法律、行政法规的规定，应当给予处罚的其他行为。

第四十二条 公证机构及其公证员有下列行为之一的，由省、自治区、直辖市或者设区的市人民政府司法行政部门对公证机构给予警告，并处二万元以上十万元以下罚款，并可以给予一个月以上三个月以下停业整顿的处罚；对公证员给予警告，并处二千元以上一万元以下罚款，并可以给予三个月以上十二个月以下停止执业的处罚；有违法所得的，没收违法所得；情节严重的，由省、自治区、直辖市人民政府司法行政部门吊销公证员执业证书；构成犯罪的，依法追究刑事责任：

（一）私自出具公证书的；

（二）为不真实、不合法的事项出具公证书的；

（三）侵占、挪用公证费或者侵占、盗窃公证专用物品的；

（四）毁损、篡改公证文书或者公证档案的；

（五）泄露在执业活动中知悉的国家秘密、商业秘密或者个人隐私的；

（六）依照法律、行政法规的规定，应当给予处罚的其他行为。

因故意犯罪或者职务过失犯罪受刑事处罚的，应当吊销公证员执业证书。

第四十三条 公证机构及其公证员因过错给当事人、公证事项的利害关系人造成损失的，由公证机构承担相应的赔偿责任；公证机构赔偿后，可以向有故意或者重大过失的公证员追偿。

当事人、公证事项的利害关系人与公证机构因赔偿发生争议的，可以向人民法院提起民事诉讼。

第四十四条 当事人以及其他个人或者组织有下列行为之一，给他人造成损失的，依法承担民事责任；违反治安管理的，依法给予治安管理处罚；构成犯罪的，依法追究刑事责任：

（一）提供虚假证明材料，骗取公证书的；

（二）利用虚假公证书从事欺诈活动的；

（三）伪造、变造或者买卖伪造、变造的公证书、公证机构印章的。

第七章 附 则

第四十五条 中华人民共和国驻外使（领）馆可以依照本法的规定或者中华人民共和国缔结或者参加的国际条约的规定，办理公证。

第四十六条 公证费的收费标准由国务院财政部门、价格主管部门会同国务院司法行政部门制定。

第四十七条 本法自2006年3月1日起施行。

Notarization Law of the People's Republic of China

Promulgation date: 08-28-2005

Effective date: 03-01-2005

Order of the President

（No. 39）

The Notarization Law of the People's Republic of China was adopted at the 17th meeting of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China on August 28, 2005. It is hereby promulgated and shall come into force as of March 1, 2006.

President of the People's Republic of China Hu Jintao

August 28, 2005

Notarization Law of the People's Republic of China
（Adopted at the 17th Session of the Standing Committee of the Tenth National People's Congress on August 28, 2005）

　　Contents

Chapter I General Provisions

Chapter II Notarial Offices

Chapter III Notaries

Chapter IV Notarization Procedures

Chapter V The Effect of Notarization

Chapter VI Legal Liabilities

Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions

Chapter General Provisions

Article 1 This Law has been enacted for the purposes of regulating notarization activities, ensuring that the notarization institutions and notaries perform their duties in accordance with the law, preventing disputes and protecting the lawful rights and interests of the natural persons, legal persons or other organizations.

Article 2 Notarization means an act performed by a notarial institution, upon the application of a party concerned, such as certifying the authenticity and legality of a legal act, a document or a fact of legal significance according to the statutory procedures.

Article 3 A notarial office shall comply with the law and shall stick to the principle of objectiveness and impartiality when performing notarial acts.

Article 4 China Notary Association shall be set up as a national notary association and each province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government shall establish a local notary association. China Notary Association and local notary associations shall be social organizations with legal person status. The charter of China Notary Association shall be formulated by the general assembly of the representatives of its members and shall be reported to the judicial administrative department of the State Council for archival purposes.

The notary associations are self-disciplinary organizations of the notarization industry. They shall carry out activities in accordance with the charter and shall supervise the practice of the notarial offices and notaries.

Article 5 The judicial administrative department shall, under the law, supervise and offer guidance to the notarial offices, notaries and notary associations.

Chapter II Notarial Offices

Article 6 A notarial office is a lawfully established non-profit-making certification institution that independently exercises the notarial functions and bear corresponding civil liabilities.

Article 7 A notarial office may, in compliance with the principle of overall planning and reasonable distribution, be established in a county, undistricted city, districted city, municipality directly under the Central Government or district directly under a city. One or more notarial office（s） may be established in a districted city or municipality directly under the Central Government. The notarial offices are not established on different levels according to administrative hierarchy.

Article 8 A to-be-established notarial institution shall meet the following conditions:

（1）Having its own name;

（2）Having a fixed office;

（3）Having 2 or more notaries; and

（4）Having the fund necessary to carry out notarial work.

Article 9 Where a notarial office is to be established, it shall be reported by the local judicial administrative department to the judicial administrative department of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government. After the judicial administrative department of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government grants approval according to the prescribed procedures, the local judicial administrative department shall issue a practicing certificate of notarial office.

Article 10 The person-in-charge of a notarial office shall be selected or elected from the notaries who have 3 or more years of practicing experience, shall be subject to the examination and approval of the local judicial administrative department, and shall be reported to the judicial administrative department of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government for archival purposes.

Article 11 Upon request of a natural person, legal person or any other organization, the notarial office shall performing notarial acts for the following matters:

（1） Contract;

（2）Inheritance;

（3）Authorization, declaration, bestowal, will;

（4）Distribution of property;

（5）Bidding and tendering, auction;

（6）Marriage status, kindred relationship, adoption relationship;

（7）Birth, existence, death, identity, experience, education background, degree, job title, professional technical title, having or not having illegal and criminal record;

（8）Articles of association;

（9）Preservation of evidence;

（10）Signature, seal and date as indicated in a document, duplicate or photocopy of a document conforming with the original document; and

（11）Other matters that a natural person, legal person or any other organization voluntarily requests for notarization.

As to any matter that shall be notarized under any law or administrative regulation, the relevant natural person, legal person or any other organization shall file a request with the notarial office for notarization.

Article 12 Upon the request of a natural person, legal person or any other organization, the notarial office may handle the following affairs:

（1）The affairs that shall be registered by a notarial office under any law or administrative regulation;

（2）Preservation of evidence;

（3）Preservation of will, heritage or other property, articles and documents relating to the notarization affair;

（4）Making legal documents relating to the notarization matter instead of others;

（5）Providing legal consultation services relating to notarization.

Article 13 No notarial office may:

（1）issue a notarial certificate for an untrue or illegal matter;

（2）destroy or fraudulently alter any notarial document or archive file;

（3）canvass notarial business by bespattering other notarial offices or notaries, or by paying kickbacks or commissions, or by any other unfair competition methods;

（4）divulge any state secret, commercial secrete or personal privacy it has access to in its practice;

（5）charge notarization fees by violating the prescribed standards; or

（6）commit any other act as prohibited by any law or regulation, or provisions of the judicial administrative department of the State Council.

Article 14 A notarial office shall work out rules for the management its business, financial affairs and assets, shall supervise the practices of its notaries and shall set up a responsibility system for wrong practices.

Article 15 The notarial institution shall buy notarial practice responsibility insurance.

Chapter III Notaries

Article 16 A notary shall be a notarial practitioner who meets the conditions as prescribed by this Law and is working in a notarial office.

Article 17 The number of notaries shall be determined according to the needs of notarial business. The judicial administrative department of a province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government shall determine, in light of the establishment of notarial offices and the needs of notarial business, the plan on the arrangement of notaries and shall submit it to the judicial administrative department of the State Council for archival purposes.

Article 18 A notary shall meet the following conditions:

（1）Having the nationality of the People's Republic of China;

（2）Being 25- 65 years old;

（3）Being impartial and upright, observing the law and disciplines, being of good moral character;

（4）Having passed the national judicial examination; and

（5）Having acted as an intern in a notarial office for 2 or more years, or having 3 or more years of experience of another legal profession and having acted as an intern in a notarial office for 1 year or more, and having passed the evaluation.

Article 19 Where a person who was engaged in teaching and research of law and has a senior professional technical title, where a person who was a civil servant or lawyer, has a university diploma or above and has full 10 years of experience in adjudication, procuratorial work, legal affairs or legal service, if he has left his post and has passed the evaluation, he may take up the job of a notary.

Article 20 A person shall not take up the job of a notary under any of the following circumstances:

（1）Having no civil capacity or limited civil capacity;

（2）Having been subject to any criminal punishment due to an intentional crime or duty-related crime;

（3）Having been dismissed from a government organ;

（4）His practicing certificate has been revoked.

Article 21 Where a person intends to act as a notary, he shall meet the conditions for a notary, shall file an application and shall be recommended by a notarial office. The local judicial administrative department shall submit the application to judicial administrative department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government for examination and approval. If the judicial administrative department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government approves the application, it shall request the judicial administrative department of the State Council for appointment and shall issue the applicant a practicing certificate of notary.

Article 22 A notary shall observe the disciplines and the law, strictly abide by the professional ethics, perform his notarial duties, keep confidential the secrets he has access to in his practice.

A notary shall be entitled to obtain remunerations, enjoy insurance and welfare treatments. He has the right to resign from his job, to file a complaint or bring a charge. He shall not be dismissed from his post or be punished unless there is a statutory reason or unless the statutory procedures have been completed.

Article 23 No notary may:

（1）concurrently act as a notary in 2 or more notarial offices;

（2）assuming other paid job（s）;

（3）perform any notarial act requested by his close relative or perform any notarial act in which he and his close relative has an interest;

（4）illegally issue any notarial certificate;

（5）issue a notarial certificate for any untrue or unlawful affair;

（6）embezzle or misappropriate the notarization fees or encroaching upon or steal any articles for the exclusive use of notarization;

（7）destroy or fraudulently alter any notarial document or archive file;

（8）divulge any state secret, commercial secret or personal privacy he has access to in his practices; or

（9）commit any other act as prohibited by any law or regulation, or provisions of the judicial administrative department of the State Council.

Article 24 Where a notary is under any of the following circumstances, the local judicial administrative department shall report him to the judicial administrative department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government and shall propose the judicial administrative department of the State Council to dismiss him from the job of a notary:

（1）He has lost the nationality of the People's Republic of China;

（2）He is 65 years old or he is unable to perform his duties continuously for health reason;

（3）He has resigned from the job of notary on his own initiative; or

（4）His practicing certificate of a notary has been revoked.

Chapter IV Notarization Procedures

Article 25 Where a natural person, legal person or any other organization requests for notarization, he （it） may file an application with the notarial office of the place where his （its） domicile or habitual residence is located, or where the relevant act is committed, or where the relevant fact occurs.

Where an applicant requests for notarization of any real property, it （he） shall file an request with the notarial office of the place where the real property is located. The provisions of the preceding paragraph apply to the notarization of the power of attorney, statement, bestowal and will relating to the real property.

Article 26 A natural person, legal person or any other organization may authorize others to perform a notarial act with the exception of the notarization of a will, survival, and adoption relationship, which shall be performed by requestor himself.

Article 27 The party who requests for notarization shall faithfully provide the notarial office with the relevant information about the matter it （he） requests for notarization, and shall provide genuine, lawful and adequate certification materials. If the certification materials are incomplete, the notarial office may demand it （him） to make supplements.

After the notarial office accepts a notarial request, it shall inform the party concerned of the legal significance and the possible legal consequences of the matter it （he） requests for notarization, and shall record down those things it has informed the party concerned and keep them in the archive files.

Article 28 When performing notarial acts, a notarial office shall, according to the rules for performing different notarial acts, examine the following items, respectively:

（1）The identity of the party concerned, the qualifications for requesting for the notarial act and the corresponding rights;

（2）Whether the documents he （it） offers are complete, whether the meanings are clear and whether the signature and seal are complete;

（3）Whether the certification materials are authentic, lawful and adequate; and

（4）Whether the matters under request for notarization are genuine and lawful.

Article 29 The notarial office shall, in light of the rules for performing notarial acts, verify or authorize a public office located in another place to verify the matter under request for notarization and the certification materials provided by the party concerned, if it deems it necessary to do so or if it has any doubt about them. The relevant entity or individual shall offer assistance.

Article 30 If the notarial office, upon examination, considers that the certification materials offered by the requestor are genuine, lawful and enough, and that the matter under request for notarization is true and lawful, it shall issue a notarial certificate to the party concerned within 15 days after it accepts the notarization request. However, the time for force majeure, supplementing certification materials or verifying the relevant information shall not be included in the aforesaid time period.

Article 31 A notarial office shall refuse to perform a notarial act under any of the following circumstances:

（1）The person, who has no civil capacity or has limited civil capacity, has no guardian to request for notarization on his behalf;

（2）The party concerned has no interest in the matter under request for notarization;

（3）The matter under request for notarization is a matter of professional technical authentication or assessment;

（4）There are disputes over the matter under request for notarization between the parties concerned;

（5）The party concerned makes up a story, conceals the fact or provides any false certification materials;

（6）The party concerned fails to provide enough certification materials or refuses to supplement the certification materials;

（7）The matter under request for notarization is untrue or unlawful;

（8）The matter under request for notarization violates the social morality; and

（9）The party concerned refuses to pay the notarization fees.

Article 32 A notarial certificate shall be made according to the format as required by the judicial administrative department of the State Council and shall bear the signature or seal of the notary as well as the seal of the notarial office. The notarial certificate comes into effect as of the date of issuance.

A notarial certificate shall be made in the written language commonly used nationwide. In an autonomous area of ethnic minorities, it may be made in the local commonly used ethnic minority language.

Article 33 Where anyone needs to use a notarial certificate outside China, if the country where the notarial certificate is to utilized requires certification in advance, it shall be subject to the certification of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China or its authorized institution and the China-based embassy （consular office） of the relevant country.

Article 34 The party concerned shall pay notarization fees in accordance with the relevant provisions.

If the party concerned satisfies the conditions for obtaining a legal aid, the notarial office shall decrease or remit the notarial fees.

Article 35 A notarial office shall classify the natarial documents into different categories and keep them as archives. At the expiration of the time period for the preservation of notarial archives of the important matters, which shall be subject to notarization under the law or administrative regulation, the notarial office shall transfer these notarial archives to the local archives for preservation.

Chapter V The Effect of Notarization

Article 36 The notarized civil legal act, fact and document of legal significance shall be considered as the basis for determining a fact except that there is contrary evidence which is enough to reverse the notarization.

Article 37 As to a notarized creditor's right document that states the payment and the commitment of the debtor to accept the forcible execution, if the debtor fails to perform or to properly perform its （his） duties, the creditor may file an application with the jurisdictional people's court for execution.

If there's any mistake in the creditor's right document as mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the people's court shall decide not to execute it and serve its ruling upon both parties concerned as well as the notarial institution.

Article 38 Where any law or administrative regulation provides that a certain matter has no legal effect unless it is notarized, this law or administrative regulation shall be followed.

Article 39 Where an interested party of the party concerned or of a notarized matter considers that there is any mistake in the notarial certificate, it may propose the notarial office that performed the notarial act to review it. If the content of the notarial certificate is illegal or contrary to the fact, the notarial office shall revoke the notarial certificate and publish an announcement, and the notarial certificate shall be invalidated from the very beginning. If there is any other mistake in the notarial certificate, the notarial office shall correct it.

Article 40 Where a party concerned or interested party of the notarized matter has any different opinion in respect to the content of the notarial certificate, it may lodge a civil lawsuit in the people's court.

Chapter VI Legal Liabilities

Article 41 Where a notarial office or any of its notaries commits any of the following acts, the judicial administrative department of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government shall give it a warning. If the circumstance is serious, it shall impose upon the notarial office a fine of 10, 000 up to 50, 000 yuan, shall impose upon the notary a fine of 1, 000 up to 5, 000 yuan, and may give him a punishment of suspending his practice for 3-6 months. If there are any illegal gains, such illegal gains shall be confiscated:

（1）Canvassing notarial business by bespattering other notarial offices or notaries, or by paying kickbacks or commissions, or by any other unfair competition methods;

（2）Charging notarization fees by violating the prescribed standards;

（3）Practicing as a notary in 2 or more notarial offices concurrently;

（4）Assuming other paid job（s）;

（5）Performing a notarial act for himself or his close relative, or performing a notarial act in which he himself or his relative has interests; or

（6）Other acts that shall be punished under the law or administrative regulation.

Article 42 Where a notarial office or any of its following acts, the judicial administrative department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region, municipality directly under the Central Government, or districted city shall give a warning to the notarial office and shall impose upon it a fine of 20, 000 up to 100, 000 yuan, and may give a punishment of suspending business for rectification for 1 up to 3 months. It shall give the notary a warning and shall impose upon him a fine of 2, 000 up to 10, 000 yuan and may give him a punishment of suspending his practices. If there are any illegal gains, such illegal gains shall be confiscated. If the circumstance is severe, the judicial administrative department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government shall revoke the practicing certificate of the notary. If any crime is constituted, it （he） shall be subject to criminal liabilities:

（1） Illegally issuing any notarial certificate;

（2）issuing a notarial certificate for any untrue or unlawful affair;

（3）embezzling or misappropriating the notarization fees or encroaching upon or steal any articles for the exclusive use of notarization;

（4）destroying or fraudulently altering the notarial document or notarial archive file;

（5）divulging any state secret, commercial secret or personal privacy it has access to in its practice; or

（6）Other acts that shall be punished under the law or administrative regulation.

Where anyone who purposely commits any crime or commits any position-related crime due to negligence and is thus given a criminal punishment, his practitioner's certificate as a notary shall also be nullified.

Article 43 Where a notarization office or notary causes any losses to the party concerned or interested party of the natorization matter due to its （his） fault, the notarial office shall bear the corresponding compensation liabilities. After the notarial office makes a compensation, it may demand the notary with intentional or serious mistake to make a repayment.

If there is any dispute over the compensation between the party concerned, interested party of the notarization matter and the notarial office, a civil lawsuit may be initiated in the people's court.

Article 44 Where a party concerned or any other individual or organization commits any of the following acts and causes any losses to others, it （he） shall bear the civil liabilities. If the act is in violation of the pubic security administration, it （he） shall be given a public security administrative punishment. If any crime is constituted, it （he） shall be subject to criminal liabilities:

（1）Obtaining any notarial certificate by providing false certification materials;

（2）Using any false notarial certificate to commit fraudulent acts; or

（3）Counterfeiting, altering or buying or selling any counterfeited or altered notarial certificate or seal of notarial office.

Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions

Article 45 The embassies （consular offices） of the People's Republic of China stationed abroad may perform notarial acts pursuant to this Law or the international treaties, which the People's Republic of China has concluded or has acceded to.

Article 46 The notarization fee charging rates shall be formulated by the public finance and price administrative departments of the State Council jointly with the judicial administrative department of the State Council.

Article 47 This Law shall come into force as of March 1, 2006