NOTARIES ORDINANCE, 1961

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THE NOTARIES ORDINANCE, 1961 
(XIX of 1961) 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title, extent and commencement 
2. Definitions 
3. Power to appoint notaries 
4. Registers 
5. Entry of names in the Register and issue or renewal of certificates of 
practice 
6. Annual publication of lists of notaries 
7. Seal of notaries 
8. Functions of notaries 
9. Bar of practice without certificate 
10. Removal of names from Register 
11. Construction of references to notaries public in other laws 
12. Penalty for falsely representing to be a notary, etc. 
13. Cognizance of offences 
14. [Omitted] 
15. Power to make rules 
16. Saving of Act XXVI of 1881 
16A. [Omitted]  
TEXT 
THE NOTARIES ORDINANCE, 1961 
(XIX of 1961) 
[14th June, 1961] 
An 
Ordinance 
to provide for and to regulate the profession of notaries in 
1
[the Punjab] 
WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for and to regulate the profession of 
notaries in 
2
[the Punjab]; 
NOW, THEREFORE, in pursuance of the Proclamation of the seventh day of 
October, 1958, and in exercise of all po wers enabling him in that behalf the 
President is pleased to make and promulgate the following Ordinance:– 
1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Ordinance may be called 
the Notaries Ordinance, 1961. 
(2) It extends to the whole of 
3
[the Punjab]. 
4
[(3) It shall come into force at once.] 
2. Definitions.– In this Ordinance, unless the context otherwise requires,– 
5
[(aa)  Government" means Government of the Punjab;] 
(a) “instrument” includes every document by which any right or liability is, 
or purp orts to be, created, trans ferred, modified, limited, extended, 
suspended, extinguished or recorded; 
6
[(b) “Legal practitioner” means a legal practitioner as defined in the Legal 
Practitioners and Bar Councils Act, 1973 (XXXV of 1973);]  
(c) “notary” means a person appointed as such under this Ordinance: 
7
[* * * * * * * * * * *   ] 
(d) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Ordinance; 
(e) “Register” means a Register of Notaries to be maintained under section 
4
8
[; and] 
                                                 
1Substituted for the word “Pakistan” by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the Punjab Gazette 
(Extraordinary), dated: 24 March 2025, p. 3635, s 2.  
2Substituted for the word “Pakistan” by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the Punjab Gazette 
(Extraordinary), dated: 24 March 2025, p. 3635, s 2. 
3Substituted for the word “Pakistan” by the Act ibid. 
4Substituted for the words “ It shall come i nto force on such date as the 1 [Provincial Government] may, be notification in the 
official Gazette, appoint” by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), 
dated: 24 March 2025, p. 3635, s. 3(b). 
5Added by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 24 March 
2025, p. 3635, s. 4(a). 
6Substituted by the Federal Laws (Revision and Declaration) Ordinance , 1981 (XXVII of 1981 ), w.e.f. 8.7.1981  s.3 and 2nd 
Schedule II. 
7Omitted by the Federal Laws (Revision and Declaration) Ordinance, 1981 (XXVII of 1981), s.3 and 2nd Schedule II. 
9
[(ea) "Secretary" means Secretary to Government, Home Department.] 
3. Power to appoint notaries. – The 
10
[ * * *  ] 
11
[Secretary or any other officer 
authorized by him in this behalf ], for the whole or any part of the Province, may  
appoint as notaries any legal practition ers or o ther persons who possess such 
qualifications as may be prescribed. 
4. Registers.– (1) The 
12
[ * * *] 
13
[Secretary or any other officer authorized by him 
in this behalf ] shall maintain, in such form as may be prescribed, a Register of the 
notaries appointed by 
14
[him] and entitled to practise as such under this Ordinance. 
(2) Every such Register shall include the following particulars about the 
notary whose name is entered therein, namely:– 
(a) his full name, date of birth, residential and professional address; 
(b)  the date on which his name is entered in the Register; 
(c) his qualification; and 
(d)  any other particulars which may be prescribed. 
5. Entry of names in the Register and issue or renewal of certificates of 
practice.– (1) Every notary who intends to  practise as such shall, on payment to the 
15
[Provincial Government] of the prescribed fee, if any, be entitled– 
(a) to have his name entered in the Register maintained 
16
[* * *]  under 
section 4, and 
(b) to a certificate authorizing him to practi se for a per iod of three years 
from the date on which the certificate is issued to him. 
17
[(2) Every such notary who wishes to continue to practise after the expiry of 
the period of three years referred to in clause (b) of sub -section (1) shall, a t such 
time before the  expiry of  the said period as may be prescribed, submit to the 
                                                                                                                                                        
8Substituted by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated : 24 
March 2025, p. 3635, s. 4(b). 
9Added by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 24 March 
2025, p. 3635, s. 4(b). 
10Omitted the words “Central Government, for the whole or any part of Pakistan and the” by the Central Adaptation of Laws 
Order, 1964, (P.O. No. I of 1964) w.e.f. 28.5.1964, Article.2 and Schedule. 
11Substituted for the words “ Provincial Government” by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the 
Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 24 March 2025, p. 3635, s. 5. 
12Omitted the words “Central Government and the” by the Cent ral Adaptation of Laws Order, 1964, (P.O. No. I of 1964) w.e.f. 
28.5.1964, Article.2 and Schedule. 
13Substituted for the words “ Provincial Government” by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the 
Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 24 March 2025, p. 3635, s. 6(a). 
14Substituted for the words “ Provincial Government” by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the 
Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 24 March 2025, p. 3635, s. 6(b).  
15Substituted for “ Government a ppointing him ” by the Central Adaptation of Laws Order, 1964, (P.O. No. I of 1964) w.e.f. 
28.5.1964, Article.2 and Schedule. 
16Omitted by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated : 24 
March 2025, p. 3636, s. 7(a). 
17Substituted by the Notaries (Amendment) Ordinance, 1984 (LI of 1984), w.e.f 29.10.1984 s.2. 
18
[Secretary or any other officer authorized by him in this behalf ] an application for 
renewal of his certificate of practice accompanied by the prescribed fee. 
(3) On receipt of an application under sub -section (2) from a notary, the 
19
[Secretary or any other officer authorized by him in this behalf ] may, if, after such 
inquiry as it may deem fit, it is satisfied that the conduct of the notary during the 
preceding three years has been unobjection able, renew the certificate of practi ce for 
a period of three years  
20
[subject to satisfactory performance evaluation in the 
manner as may be prescribed]. 
21
[* * * * * * * * * * * *] 
6. Annual publication of lists of notaries .– The 
22
[ * * * ] 
23
[Secretary or any 
other officer authorized by him in this behalf ] shall, not later than the end of January 
each year, publish in the Official Gazette a list of notaries appointed by 
24
[him] and in 
practice at the beginning of that year together with such details pertaini ng to them as 
may be prescribed. 
7. Seal of notaries.– Every notary shall have and use, as occasion may arise, a 
seal of such form and design as may be prescribed. 
8. Functions of notaries .– (1) A notary may do all or any of the following acts 
by virtue of his office, namely:– 
(a) verify, authenticate, certify or attest the execution of any instrument; 
(b) present any promissory note, hundi or bill of exchange for acceptance 
or payment or demand better security; 
(c) note or protest the dis honour by non -acceptance or non -payment of 
any promissory note, hundi or bill of exchange or protest for better 
security or prepare acts of honour under the Negotiable Instruments 
Act, 1881(XXVI of 1881), or serve notice of such note or protest; 
(d) note and draw up ship ’s protest, boat ’s protest or protest relating to 
demurrage and other commercial matters; 
(e) administer oath to, or take affidavit from, any person; 
(f) prepare bottomry and respondantia bonds, charter parties and other 
mercantile documents; 
                                                 
18Substituted for the words “ Provincial Government” by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the 
Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 24 March 2025, p. 3636, s. 7(b). 
19Substituted for the words “ Provincial Government” by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the 
Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 24 March 2025, p. 3636, s. 7(c)(i). 
20Added by the Notaries (Amendment)  Act 2025  (XX of 2025), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated : 24 
March 2025, p. 3636, s. 7(c)(ii). 
21Omitted by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated : 24 
March 2025, p. 3636, s. 7(d). 
22Omitted the words “Central Government and every” by the Central Adaptation of Laws Order, 1964, (P.O. No. I of 1964) w.e.f. 
28.5.1964, Article.2 and Schedule. 
23Substituted for the words “ Provincial Government” by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the 
Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 24 March 2025, p. 3636, s. 8(a). 
24Substituted for the words “ that Government” by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the Punjab 
Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 24 March 2025, p. 3636, s. 8(b). 
(g) prepare, attest or authenticate any instrument intended to take effect in 
any country or place outside Pakistan in such form and language as 
may conform to the law of the place where such deed is intended to 
operate; 
(h) translate, and verify the translation of, any d ocument from one 
language into another; 
(i) any other act which may be prescribed. 
(2) No act specified in sub-section (1) shall be deemed to be a notarial act 
except when it is done by a notary under his signature and Official seal. 
9. Bar of practice wit hout certificate .– 
25
[*] Subject to the provisions of this 
section, no person shall practi se as a notary or do any notarial act under the official 
seal of a notary unless he holds a certificate of practice in force issued to him under 
section 5: 
Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall apply to the presentation of any 
promissory note, hundi or bill of exchange for acceptance or payment by the clerk of 
a notary acting on behalf of such notary. 
26
[(2) * * * * * * * * * * *   ] 
10. Removal of names from R egister.– The 
27
[
28
[ Secretary or any other officer 
authorized by him in this behalf ]] may, by order, remove from the Register 
maintained by it under section 4 the name of the notary if he– 
(a) makes a request to that effect; or 
(b) has not paid any prescribed fee required to be paid by him; or 
(c)  is an undischarged insolvent; or 
(d) has been found, upon inquiry in the prescribed manner, to be guilty of 
such professional or other misconduct as, in the opinion of the  
29
[Secretary or any other officer authoriz ed by him in this behalf ], 
renders him unfit to practise as a notary. 
11. Construction of references to notaries public in other laws .– Subject to 
the provisions of section 16, any reference to a notary public in any other law shall 
be construed as a reference to a notary entitled to practise under this Ordinance. 
12. Penalty for falsely representing to be a notary, etc.– Any person who– 
(a) falsely represents that he is a notary without being appointed as such, 
or 
                                                 
25Omitted by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated : 24 
March 2025, p. 3636, s. 9. 
26Omitted by the Federal Laws (Revision and Declaration) Ordinance, 1981 (XXVII of 1981), s.3 and 2nd Schedule II. 
27Substituted for “Government appointing any notary” by the Central Adaptation of Laws Order, 1964, (P.O. No. I of 1964) w.e.f. 
28.5.1964, Article.2 and Schedule. 
28Substituted for the words “ Provincial Government” by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the 
Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 24 March 2025, p. 3636, s. 10(a). 
29Substituted  for the words “Provincial  Government” by the Notaries  (Amendment) Act  2025 (XX of 2025), published in the 
Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 24 March 2025, p. 3636, s. 10(b).  
(b) practises as a notary or does any nota rial act in contravention of 
section 9, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may 
extend to three months, or with fine,  
30
[which may extend up to five 
hundred thousand rupees but not less than one hundred thousand 
rupees] or with both. 
13. Cognizance of offences.– (1) No court shall take cognizance of any offence 
committed by a notary in the exercise or purported exercise of his functions under 
this Ordinance save upon complaint in writing made by an officer authorized by the 
31
[* * *] 
32
[Secretary] by general or special order in this behalf. 
(2) No magistrate other than a magistrate of the first class shall try an 
offence punishable under this Ordinance. 
33
[* * * * * * * * * * * * *   ] 
15. Power to make rules.– (1) The 
34
[Provincial Government] may, by notification 
in the official Gazette, make rules to carry out the purposes of this Ordinance. 
(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing 
power, such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:– 
(a) the qualifications of a notary, the form and manner in which 
applications for appointment as a notary may be made and the 
disposal of such applications; 
(b) the certificates, testimonials or proofs as to character, integrity, ability 
and competence whi ch any person applying for appointment as a 
notary may be required to furnish; 
(c) the fees payable for appointment as a notary and for the issue and 
renewal of a certificate of practice, and exemption, whether wholly or in 
part, from such fees in specified classes of cases; 
(d) the fees payable to a notary for doing any notarial act; 
(e) the form of Registers and the particulars to be entered therein; 
(f) the form and design of the seal of a notary; 
(g) the manner in which inquiries into allegations or pro fessional or other 
misconduct of notaries may be made; 
(h) the acts which a notary may do in addition to those specified in section 
8 and the manner in which a notary may perform his functions. 
                                                 
30Added by the Notaries (Amendment)  Act 2025  (XX of 2025), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated : 24 
March 2025, p. 3636, s. 11. 
31Omitted the word s “Central Government or a” by the Central Adaptation of Laws Order, 1964, (P.O. No. I of 1964) w.e.f. 
28.5.1964, Article.2 and Schedule. 
32Substituted for the words “Provincial Government”  by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the  
Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 24 March 2025, p. 3636, s. 12. 
33Omitted by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated : 24 
March 2025, p. 3636, s. 13. 
34Substituted for “Central Government” by the Central Adaptation of Laws Order, 1964, (P.O. No. I of 1964) w.e.f. 28.5.1964, 
Article.2 and Schedule. 
16. Saving of Act XXVI of 1881 .– Nothing in this Ordinance aff ects the 
provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (XXVI of 1881) , or any 
appointment made in pursuance of section 138 of that Act or the powers of any 
person so appointed.   
35
[
36
[* * * * * * * * * * * * *  ]] 
                                                 
35This Ordinance was promulgated by the Governor of West Pakistan on 1 st December, 1969; published in the West Pakistan 
Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 06.12.1969, pages 2189-90; saved by Article 281 of the interim Constitution of Pakistan (1972); 
and, validated by Act LXIII of 1975. 
36Omitted by the Notaries (Amendment) Act 2025 (XX of 2025), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated : 24 
March 2025, p. 3636, s. 14.