The notary market - France

Today, the notarial market is an essential pillar of the legal and economic ecosystem in France and in countries with a Latin legal tradition. With almost 50,000 notaries affiliated to the Council of the Notariats of the European Union (CNUE ) in 2023 (+11.1% in one year), and some 200,000 employees, the European notarial profession stands out for its solid structure and central role in securing civil, real estate and inheritance transactions. A public official appointed by the State, notaries authenticate legal deeds, giving them probative and enforceable force. They are mainly involved in real estate, family matters, inheritance and gifts, to ensure the legal security of transactions and prevent disputes. at the crossroads between public service and private consultancy, the notary's activity encompasses both regulated missions with regulated fees, andfree services, notably in the fields of asset consultancy and mediation. In France, the notarial sector is supported by more than 6,800 offices and 1,370 sub-offices, with an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 1.74% since 2020. However, this dynamic masks contrasts: after a marked increase of +23.8% between 2020 and 2022, sales fell by -13.5% between 2022 and 2024, directly linked to the downturn in the real estate market (-30.3% of sales in existing properties between 2022 and 2024). This decline has led to a -27.5% contraction in the number of notarized acts over the same period. Faced with these tensions, the notarial profession is transforming and adapting itself: digitalization of services, increased use of notarial mediation, development of free fees, mutualization of functions (18% of notaries use it), and partial outsourcing (24% of offices). These levers are designed to meet a changing demand, both BtoB and BtoC, combining legal advice, wealth management support and notarization. Real estate deeds (40.2% in 2022) will remain the core business, but family deeds (PACS, marriage contracts, wills), which are more resilient to economic cycles, will sustain studies. At the same time, demographic change and inequalities in access to the law (only 37% of people living in poverty have recourse to the law) pose structural challenges. Framed by a strict regulatory framework (1945 ordinance, 2015 Macron law, 2023 ethics decree), the notarial profession is governed by public tariffs for reserved acts (emoluments) and free services for advisory missions. This hybrid, high value-added model gives notaries a strategic role in preventing disputes and ensuring legal certainty. Against an uncertain economic backdrop - with 52% of notaries anticipating a decline in business - this market study offers a comprehensive analysis of the notarial sector: structure of supply and demand, typology of players, territorial segmentation, economic trends, digital innovations, and outlook. It is aimed at legal professionals, investors, institutional partners and public decision-makers wishing to gain a better understanding of the issues at stake in a sector that is changing, but more than ever essential to the stability of the socio-economic fabric.