A legally authenticated document prepared and certified by a Macedonian notary (notar), required for all real estate sales and other major legal transactions in North Macedonia.
A notarskiot akt (notarial deed or notarial act) is a document prepared and certified by a licensed notar (notary) in North Macedonia. Under Macedonian law, real estate purchase agreements must be executed in the form of a notarial deed to be valid for property register (katastar) entry. Without notarial authentication, a property sale contract cannot be registered, and the ownership transfer has no legal effect. The notary verifies the identity of all parties, confirms the legal capacity of the signatories, and certifies that the transaction is conducted in accordance with the law.
Notaries in North Macedonia are public officials appointed by the Minister of Justice and regulated by the Notary Chamber of North Macedonia (Notarska komora na Republika Severna Makedonija). They are independent public authorities — not government employees — who bear personal responsibility for the transactions they authenticate. A notarskiot akt carries the highest level of evidentiary value under Macedonian law; it can be used as an enforcement title (izvrsna isprava) without court proceedings for some obligations, making it significantly stronger than a simple private contract.
The process of executing a real estate notarial deed in North Macedonia begins with your real estate agent and lawyer preparing the draft contract. The notar reviews the draft, verifies the katastar (cadastre) extract to confirm ownership and encumbrances, checks that any mortgage (hipoteka) will be discharged, and ensures all mandatory legal clauses are included. On the signing date, both buyer and seller appear before the notar, who reads the document aloud, verifies identities, and authenticates the signatures. The deed is then submitted to the katastar for registration.
Notarial fees in North Macedonia are set by the Notary Tariff and calculated based on the contract value. For a typical residential property purchase, the total notarial fee typically ranges from 0.5% to 1% of the purchase price, with minimum and maximum caps. These fees are in addition to the property transfer tax (danok na prenos na nedviznost), stamp duties, and the katastar registration fee. Your notar will provide a cost breakdown before signing. It is customary in North Macedonia for the buyer to bear the notarial fees, though this is negotiable.
For foreign nationals purchasing property in North Macedonia, the notarial deed process is the same as for Macedonian nationals. EU citizens and citizens of countries with reciprocal agreements can purchase most types of real estate without restrictions. Citizens of countries without such agreements may face restrictions on agricultural land purchases. In practice, most residential and commercial property transactions by foreigners proceed without complications. Your lawyer (advokat) should confirm the current restrictions applicable to your nationality before the signing.
Some buyers believe that signing a private written contract with the seller is sufficient to secure their purchase, not realising that only a notarial deed enables katastar registration. Private contracts without notarial authentication are legally binding between the parties but cannot be used to register ownership. Until ownership is registered in the katastar, the seller remains the legal owner and could potentially sell to another buyer or allow creditors to register charges against the property.
Ask your notar to check the katastar register for plombi (pending registration annotations) on the day of signing. A plomba may indicate that another registration application — such as a mortgage or another sale — is already pending and will take priority over your application. If a plomba is found, postpone signing until its nature has been fully investigated by your advokat.
Yes, unlike in some countries, both parties can use the same notar. The notar acts as a neutral public official verifying the transaction rather than representing either party. However, if you want independent legal advice on the contract terms, engage a separate advokat (lawyer) to review the agreement before the notarial signing.
You typically need a valid passport or national ID card, the katastar extract for the property (obtained by the notar), proof of address, and the agreed purchase price ready for payment or bank transfer. The notar will advise on any additional documents required for your specific transaction.
Fees are set by the official Notary Tariff and are based on the value of the transaction. For most residential property transactions, fees range from 0.5% to 1% of the purchase price with regulatory caps. Your notar will provide a written cost breakdown before signing. Additional katastar registration fees and property transfer taxes are separate charges.
Related reading: Property Buying Process in North Macedonia: A Step-by-Step Guide