The Law No. 2024-28 of July 26, 2024, has reconfigured the access pathway to the Beninese notariat. Candidates who submit an application without verifying the compliance of their curriculum with the new requirements risk a complete blockage at the professional registration stage.
Consistency of the academic pathway: the criterion that the 2024 reform places at the center
Before the reform, a master’s degree in private law was sufficient to open the way to notarial internship. Law No. 2024-28 now imposes a verifiable consistency between the university curriculum and notarial practice. The content of the courses taken is as important as the title of the degree.
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We observe that this requirement traps holders of master’s degrees focused on business law or international law who have not integrated enough units of notarial law, land law, or inheritance law into their curriculum. The chamber of notaries verifies the educational framework, not just the transcript.
Before submitting any application, we recommend reconstructing a detailed description of the courses taken and comparing it with the expectations published by the School of Training for Judicial Professions (EFPJ). Candidates who studied abroad must have their degree equivalence validated, which adds several months to the timeline. To complete this information on Echange Immo, the details of the legal conditions prior to the reform remain documented there.
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Eligibility conditions for the Beninese notariat: what the law actually requires
The general conditions for access to the notariat have not been removed by the 2024 reform but have been supplemented.
- Hold Beninese nationality and enjoy civil rights, without any criminal conviction for acts contrary to honor or integrity.
- Hold a law degree validated by the Ministry of Justice, with content aligned with the requirements of initial notarial training as defined by the EFPJ.
- Have completed a professional internship in an accredited notarial office, under the supervision of a practicing notary, with an internship completion certificate in accordance with the new disciplinary procedures.
- Present a complete morality file, including a clean criminal record and certificates of good conduct verified by the National Chamber of Notaries.
The reform has expanded the scope of morality control. Compliance with ethical rules is evaluated from the internship period, and no longer only at the time of appointment. A disciplinary incident during the internship can permanently block registration.
Notarial internship in Benin: duration, supervision, and common pitfalls
The internship in a notarial office constitutes the turning point between theoretical training and professional practice. Law No. 2024-28 strengthens the supervision framework: the supervising notary takes responsibility for the quality of the training provided.
Finding an internship remains the main difficulty. The number of notarial offices in Benin is limited, and demand exceeds the supply of positions. We recommend contacting the National Chamber of Notaries to obtain the updated list of offices authorized to receive interns.
Errors to avoid during the internship
An internship carried out in a non-accredited office will not be validated, even if the supervising notary is a practicing notary.
Registration with the order and appointment: the administrative pathway after graduation
Once the internship is validated and the degree confirmed, the candidate submits their file to the National Chamber of Notaries. This body issues an opinion sent to the Ministry of Justice and Legislation.
The official appointment occurs by decision of the Council of Ministers, upon the proposal of the Keeper of the Seals. The candidate takes an oath before the court of appeal in their jurisdiction before being able to instrument. This oath-taking conditions the right to practice: without it, no authentic act can be established.
Professional incompatibilities to anticipate
The notariat is incompatible with any commercial activity, any parliamentary mandate, and any salaried public function. These incompatibilities apply from the time of appointment. A candidate engaging in an incompatible activity must renounce it before taking the oath, under penalty of nullity of the appointment.
- Direct commercial activity or through an intermediary.
- Position as a magistrate, lawyer, or bailiff.
- Salaried employment in public administration, except for exceptional exemptions related to the teaching of law.
The National Chamber of Notaries has continuous verification power. This oversight begins as soon as the installation and never stops.
Candidates considering the notariat in Benin should structure their pathway from the undergraduate level, targeting the teaching units directly related to notarial practice. Anticipating the administrative timelines of each step, from internship validation to appointment, remains the best guarantee of a smooth pathway without blockage.