The profession has become more feminine and younger in recent years -

IStock / City Presse

The notary has a very specific backyard in France.

And for good reason, since this ministerial public officer is the guarantor of the authentication of the acts and contracts governing our daily lives.

Marital situation, real estate project, succession and business creation indeed require his assistance.

Faced with the challenges, access to this profession is therefore strictly regulated, from the training of future notaries to their right to open their own office.

An installation by drawing lots

It is only after long higher education that graduates can begin to practice their profession, most often as "assistant notary" in an existing office.

But this is only a first step before obtaining the sesame: notary in title.

This status is only issued by the Keeper of the Seals when the pretender has become an employee or partner of the firm in which he works, or when he has started as a liberal notary.

However, in the past, you had to go through an annual competition to obtain the right to open your own study.

Result: some territories lacked notaries.

In order to increase the number of professionals and liberalize the profession, the State reformed the conditions of access to the notarial profession by drawing up an installation card, valid for two years, distinguishing between so-called free zones and controlled zones. .

Exit the competition and place then in a drawing of lots serving to decide between the requests exceeding the number of places offered.

More women and young people

After two completed periods of creation of notary offices (the first from 2016 to 2018 and the second for 2018-2020), the time has come to take stock.

And the objectives pursued by the Ministry of Justice seem to have been achieved.

The number of notarial offices rose from just under 4,600 studies in 2016 to some 6,851 on January 1, 2021. This represents a 50% increase in openings in the space of five years of application.

If thousands of candidates apply for each allocation period, they are also nearly 700 to have won this sesame during the 2019-2020 recruitment campaign.

Finally, it should be noted that the profiles change.

There are more women (67%) and young people (39 years old on average) among new notaries (2018-2020 cycle).

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