Notaries will be obliged to take out personal liability insurance in line with changes being proposed to the law regulating the profession.

The move is intended to offer financial security to the notary and his clients if a civil law suit is initiated against him.

Another proposal will oblige notaries to obtain a doctorate in laws rather than just a notary’s diploma to be able to apply for the warrant while the compulsory practice period will increase to two years. The draft changes were published in the Government Gazzette on Wednesday and, according to Land Parliamentary Secretary Jason Azzopardi, they represent the most extensive changes to the law since it was enacted in 1927.

Notaries are public officials even if they are not employed by the state and their profession goes back hundreds of years.

“The aim of these changes is to strengthen the profession, which is an important link in our judicial system between civil and fiscal laws,” Dr Azzopardi said.

The proposed new law will also oblige a notary to keep a trust fund account where money deposited by clients is kept. This will make sure that deposit money that belongs to clients is kept apart from the personal accounts of the notary, affording it greater protection if the notary faces financial difficulties.

Notaries will also not be able to oversee deeds that involve next of kin or in which they personally have an interest.