Effective January 1, 2017, Increase in Notarization and Certification Fees for Contracts

1. Increase in Notarization Fees for Contracts and Transactions from 2017

This is stipulated in Circular 226/2016/TT-BTC on the collection, policies on collection, payment, management, and use of notarization fees.

From January 01, 2017, the fee name is changed from a charge to a fee with the following notarization fee levels for contracts and transactions:

- Notarization fee for contracts and transactions: 50,000 VND/contract, transaction (an increase of 20,000 VND compared to the current regulation);- Notarization fee for amendments, supplements, cancellations of contracts, transactions: 30,000 VND/contract (an increase of 10,000 VND compared to the current regulation);- Fee for correcting errors in notarized contracts, transactions: 25,000 VND/contract (an increase of 15,000 VND compared to the current regulation).

Circular 226/2016/TT-BTC is effective from January 01, 2017, and replaces Joint Circular 158/2015/TTLT-BTC-BTP.

2. Increase in Notarization Fees for Contracts and Transactions Worth 100 Billion VND or More

From January 01, 2017, Circular 257/2016/TT-BTC stipulates the collection, policies on collection, payment, management, and use of notarization fees; authentication fees; fees for appraisal of standards and conditions for the practice of notaries; fees for appraisal of conditions for operation of Notary Offices; and fees for issuing notary cards.

It increases the notarization fees for contracts and transactions worth 100 billion VND or more (excluding contracts for leasing Land Use Rights (LUR); leasing houses; leasing and sub-leasing assets; auctioned asset sales and purchases) from January 01, 2017, as follows:

- Collection rate: 32.2 million VND + 0.02% of the value of the asset or contract, transaction value exceeding 100 billion VND (current regulation is 5.2 million VND + 0.03% of the value of the asset or contract, transaction value exceeding 10 billion VND);- The maximum collection limit is 70 million VND/case (current regulation is 10 million VND/case).

Circular 257/2016/TT-BTC replaces Joint Circular 08/2012/TTLT-BTC-BTP, Circular 54/2015/TT-BTC, Joint Circular 115/2015/TTLT-BTC-BTP.

3. Fees for Changing from Identification Card to Citizen ID Card from 2017

This prominent new regulation is in Circular 256/2016/TT-BTC on the collection, policies on collection, payment, and management of the fees for issuing Citizen ID cards issued by the Ministry of Finance.

From January 01, 2017, instead of being exempt from fees as currently, citizens must pay fees when changing from 9-digit, 12-digit Identification Cards to Citizen ID cards.

It also stipulates that individuals who currently do not have to pay the fees will begin to have to pay 30,000 VND/card for Citizen ID card issuance, including:

- Citizens aged 16 and older applying for a new Citizen ID card;- Citizens renewing their Citizen ID card when they turn 25, 40, and 60 years old.

Citizens under 16 years old when applying for a new Citizen ID card will be exempt from fees.

Circular 256/2016/TT-BTC is effective from January 01, 2017, and replaces Circular 170/2015/TT-BTC.

4. Add Three Categories Exempt from Fees for Issuance of Judicial Record Certificates

Circular 244/2016/TT-BTC stipulates the collection, policies on collection, payment, management, and use of fees for providing Judicial Record Information (JRI) effective from January 01, 2017.

Compared to the current regulation, the collection rate for providing JRI remains unchanged. If the requestor for JRI asks for more than 02 JRI certificates in one instance, starting from the 3rd certificate onwards, the fee-collecting entity may charge an additional 5,000 VND/certificate (current regulation is 3,000 VND/certificate) to cover the necessary costs for printing the JRI certificate forms.

Additionally, the Circular adds three more categories exempt from fees for issuing JRI certificates, including:

- Children;- Elderly people;- Disabled individuals.

Circular 244/2016/TT-BTC replaces Circular 174/2011/TT-BTC.

5. Fee for Issuing Lawyer Practicing Certificates in 2017 is 100,000 VND

According to Circular 220/2016/TT-BTC stipulating the collection, policies on collection, payment, management, and use of fees in the field of lawyer practice, the fee for issuing Lawyer Practicing Certificates from January 01, 2017, is only 100,000 VND/issuance (a decrease of 300,000 VND compared to current regulations).

See more new fees in the field of lawyer practice supplemented at Circular 220/2016/TT-BTC replacing Circular 02/2012/TT-BTC and Circular 118/2015/TT-BTC.

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