Supervision of Probate and Conveyancing – Response to Consultation

The Faculty Office issued a call for evidence in February 2024 to consider whether the level of supervision for new notaries who wish to practice in conveyancing and in wills, probate and administration is at the right level. A response to the call for evidence was published in August 2024.

We consulted on proposals to increase supervision for new probate and conveyancing notaries in February 2026. Our response can now be read HERE.

In brief our proposals amount to new notaries working in conveyancing and probate being given in-person supervision (unless the notary had already come through a supervision route in another branch of the legal profession that the Faculty Office recognises as suitably robust) for two years. We are also making certain other adjustments, more particularly set out in our response.

Subject to new guidance being drawn up we will proceed to make an application to the Legal Services Board to amend our rules. The main change is not expected to kick in until at least mid 2027 and we will consider how to transition the proposed increase in supervision requirements for those notaries wishing to do probate and conveyancing as a notary so that there is not undue hardship.