Justice minister trying to find middle ground on notary fees
Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa Pakosta (Eesti 200) is revising a long-stalled plan to raise notary fees to ensure rising costs don't limit access, particularly in rural areas.
The ministry and the Estonian Chamber of Notaries (NK) have been working on the proposal for five years, but progress has stalled.
Notaries outside Tallinn and Tartu have voiced concerns that low fees could make it harder to maintain services outside bigger cities, and NK vice chair Priidu Pärna warned the number of rural notaries could decline if their fees aren't adjusted.
"In this changed economic environment, where you can't adjust your own prices, access to notary services is increasingly at risk," he said.
Pärna also noted that the bill involving notary fees has lingered in the Government Office since last fall, not even reaching the Riigikogu yet because the prime minister has not added it to the government's agenda.
According to Pakosta, the Justice Ministry's goal is to strike a balance to ensure that any fee increase remains acceptable to the public.
One measure under consideration would waive notary fees when switching a home loan from one bank to another if the collateral remains unchanged, allowing banks to compete on interest rates without charging a second notary fee.
She stressed that the ministry has no keen interest in raising notary fees, adding that the goal is to ensure continued access to notary services throughout the country.
"We want to make sure a rural notary can still travel to an elderly person to help them draw up a will," Pakosta explained. "With today's prices, a notary can't provide that service for €3.80 anymore."
The Riigikogu's fall session begins next month, and the justice minister said she hopes a solution will be found that preserves access while responding to rising costs.
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Editor: Mirjam Mäekivi, Aili Vahtla
