Notarial Practice Exam Preparation
Updated: 4 days ago
The Notarial Practice Examination is a separate professional examination for legal practitioners seeking to qualify as notaries. It is different from the Attorneys’ Admission Examinations and the Conveyancing Examination.
If you are preparing for the Notarial Practice Examination, your starting point should always be the current syllabus issued by the Legal Practice Council (LPC). The examination focuses not only on your knowledge of the law, but also on your ability to understand and apply the principles relevant to notarial practice.
1. Understanding the Notarial Practice Examination
The current LPC syllabus provides for one four-hour written examination.
Candidates receive 15 minutes to peruse the paper before they begin writing. The examination starts at 09:00 and ends at 13:15, including the reading period.
The current assessment also provides for an oral examination in certain circumstances:
50% or more: The candidate may be excused from the oral examination, at the discretion of the examiners.
40% to 49%: The candidate will be called for an oral examination.
Below 40%: The candidate will not be called for an oral examination and will fail the examination.
Always check the latest LPC examination notices and syllabus for the requirements applicable to your examination sitting.
2. Know What the Syllabus Covers
The LPC states that the syllabus covers all aspects of law with which notaries are required to deal in their practice, particularly where a notarial form is required for registration or where work is reserved for notaries. The syllabus specifically identifies areas such as:
the practice, functions, ethics, duties and obligations of notaries;
the admission, removal and suspension of notaries;
the preparation and registration of notarial deeds;
deeds of servitude;
notarial bonds;
antenuptial and postnuptial contracts;
notarial leases;
sectional title schemes;
deeds of donation; and
other areas relevant to notarial practice.
The list in the syllabus is not exhaustive. Candidates should therefore avoid treating the examples listed above as the complete scope of the examination.
3. Be Prepared to Draft
Drafting is an important part of the Notarial Practice Examination.
The LPC states that examiners expect candidates to be able to draft various documents with reasonable competence and to demonstrate that they understand the legal principles underlying those documents.
This means that preparation should not focus only on remembering legal rules. You should also understand how the relevant legal principles operate in practice and how they are reflected in notarial documents.
The types of documents that may be relevant include those identified in the current syllabus, but candidates should consult the full syllabus rather than relying on a limited list of examples.
4. Use the Current LPC Syllabus
Your preparation should begin with the current LPC syllabus for the Notarial Practice Examination. The syllabus should help you identify:
the areas of law you need to cover;
relevant legislation;
relevant case law;
professional and practice requirements;
notarial documents and formalities; and
other legal and practical materials relevant to the examination.
Do not rely solely on older notes, textbooks or previous examination papers. Legislation, case law, regulations and practice requirements can change.
5. What Kind of Knowledge Is Relevant?
Candidates should be prepared to understand the legal principles, legislation, formalities and practical requirements relevant to notarial practice, and to apply that knowledge when dealing with notarial documents and legal problems. The current LPC syllabus should remain your guide to the scope of the examination.
6. Use Reliable Legal Resources
The current LPC syllabus refers candidates to a range of legal materials relevant to their preparation. These may include:
legislation and regulations;
case law;
Deeds Registry materials;
Registrar's Circulars;
Deeds Practice Manuals;
relevant legal texts and publications; and
other authoritative materials relevant to notarial practice.
For a broader discussion of legal research and examination resources, see: Useful Legal Resources for Exam Preparation
7. Use Past Examination Papers Carefully
Past examination papers can help you become familiar with the type of questions and practical issues that may arise in the examination.
The LPC has published previous Notarial Practice Examination papers, including the April 2025 examination paper.
However, an older paper should not be treated as a prediction of what will appear in your examination. The law, regulations, practice requirements and examination syllabus may change.
Use past papers alongside the current LPC syllabus and current legal authorities, rather than instead of them.
For more information about finding and using past papers, see: Past Exam Papers
8. Additional Examination Preparation
You do not have to prepare entirely on your own.
Depending on your circumstances, you may consider:
a formal examination preparation provider;
additional classes;
a tutor or practitioner offering examination preparation; or
other structured revision programmes.
When choosing a provider, consider whether the material is aligned with the current LPC syllabus, whether the content is up to date, what support is offered and whether the preparation is suitable for the particular examination you are writing.
9. Keep Your Information Current
Notarial practice is closely connected to legislation, regulations, case law and practical requirements.
A set of notes that was useful for a previous examination sitting may not necessarily reflect the law or requirements applicable to your examination.
Before relying on any study material, ask:
Is this still current?
Check the relevant authority and, where appropriate, compare your material against the latest LPC syllabus and other authoritative sources.
10. After the Examination
Once you have written the examination, you may be wondering what happens next.
If you pass, you will still need to understand the applicable requirements for becoming a practising notary. If you do not achieve a passing result, there are also steps you can take to understand your result and decide how to proceed.
See:
Final Reminder
The Notarial Practice Examination is not simply about memorising information. You need to understand the principles that underpin notarial practice and be able to apply them appropriately.
Know the current syllabus. Understand the principles. Be prepared to apply them in practice.
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