Notary in Armenia: When You Need One and What It Costs

By WSE.AM editorial team, edited by Mark Muzyka · Updated 23 October 2026

When a notary is mandatory in Armenia and the state duties: 5,000 AMD for a property sale, 1,000 for a flat lease, 500 per page to certify a translation.

In Armenia a notary is mandatory for selling, leasing and gifting real estate, for mortgages, wills and powers of attorney for such deals, and for any deal where one of the parties asks for it. The state duty for notarial acts is calculated from a base duty of 1,000 AMD: a property sale contract costs 5,000 AMD, a flat lease 1,000 AMD, certifying a translation 500 AMD per page. The notary's own fee for legal and technical services comes on top, and its official amount is not published.

Up to date as of 23 October 2026. This is not legal advice: laws change, check the source or a lawyer before acting.

When a notary is mandatory

Article 299(3) of the Civil Code makes notarisation mandatory in two cases: when the Civil Code requires it, and when any of the parties requires it, even if the law does not.

The main deals for someone relocating to Armenia where the Civil Code requires a notary:

• sale and purchase of real estate (Article 562);
• lease of real estate (Article 610) and residential tenancy (Article 662);
• lease of buildings (Article 654);
• gift of real estate (Article 595);
• mortgage (Article 263);
• an annuity that provides for transferring real estate (Article 572, part 2);
• free use of real estate (Article 686, part 2);
• trust management of real estate (Article 959, part 2);
• will (Article 1205).

For some of these contracts no notary is needed if the parties use the government's standard form without extra terms and the signatures are recognised through the Cadastre (Article 299(4)).

If the deal requires notarial form and you act through a representative, the power of attorney must also be notarised (Article 321(2)).

Notary fees: state duty

The amounts are set in Article 11 of the Law on State Duty. The base duty under Article 8 is 1,000 AMD, and everything else is calculated from it.

For agricultural land, household plots and state or community land, the duty for a disposal contract is lower: 500 AMD.

What the state duty does not include

The state duty is only part of the bill. The notary also charges a separate fee for legal and technical services. We could not find the official amount: the media mention a government decision, but its text is not on arlis.am. It is not officially published as of 23 October 2026, so ask the notary for the full total before your visit.

In a property deal, Cadastre fees are added to the notary costs, for example 25,000 AMD for registering the transfer of ownership. How these add up in one purchase is shown in buying an apartment in Armenia as a foreigner.

Translations and copies for foreigners

Foreigners most often need a notary to certify an Armenian translation of their passport. A notarised passport translation is required to register as a sole proprietor, for a foreign founder of an LLC, for a residence permit, and according to hartak.am some banks ask for it too. The state duty is 500 AMD per page, plus the translation itself and the notary's service fee.

Where you will need it:

• registering as a sole proprietor;
• LLC in Armenia for foreigners;
• opening a bank account in Armenia;
• Armenian residence permit: types and documents.

Documents notarised outside Armenia, for example by a notary in your home country, are foreign documents: Armenia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists notarial documents among those that need an apostille or legalisation and then an Armenian translation. See apostille and translation for Armenia.

Renting a flat through a notary

Under the Civil Code, a residential tenancy contract is notarised, and the state duty is 1,000 AMD. The exception is the government's standard form with signatures recognised through the Cadastre. You can browse flats in our apartments for rent in Yerevan section or ask us to find an apartment for you.

Possible changes in 2027

The note to Article 8 of the Law on State Duty mentions amendments with transitional provisions. As of 23 October 2026 the base duty is 1,000 AMD; it may change from 2027, so check the current text of the law on arlis.am before a deal.

Sources

• Civil Code of Armenia (arlis.am)
• Law on State Duty (arlis.am)
• Law on State Registration of Property Rights (arlis.am)
• hartak.am: sole proprietor registration
• hartak.am: business registration steps
• hartak.am: bank account for non-residents
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia: residency
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia: citizenship

Frequently asked questions

How much does a notary cost in Yerevan when buying a flat? The state duty for a property sale contract is 5,000 AMD. The notary's own service fee on top is not officially published, so ask the specific notary for the total.

Do I need a notary for a rental contract in Armenia? Under Article 662 of the Civil Code a residential tenancy contract is notarised, with a state duty of 1,000 AMD. The exception is the government's standard form with signatures recognised through the Cadastre.

How much does it cost to certify a passport translation? The state duty for certifying a translation is 500 AMD per page. The translator's and the notary's services are paid separately.

Can I insist on a notary if the law does not require one? Yes. Under Article 299(3) of the Civil Code, notarisation is mandatory if any party to the deal requires it.

How much is a power of attorney to buy or sell a flat? The state duty is 3,000 AMD for a real estate power of attorney and 500 AMD for other powers of attorney. A power of attorney for a deal that requires notarial form must itself be notarised.

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