“does it have to go to the notary office to inherit parental property?” “does it cost tens of millions of dollars?” there have recently been a number of questions from fans in the background, as creators of a perennial interest in life policy, and one of the key policies must be shared today: from 2016, when the ministry of justice abolished the compulsory notary requirement, until 2025, the real estate registration policy continued to optimize, and now inherits parental property without going through the notarized process, which can be legalized without a penny and which is far simpler than expected。
1. Pre-defunct zones: the “must notarized” property is long overdue
Many people are still being misled by the old notion that “inheritance property must be notarized” and, as early as 2016, the ministry of justice officially repealed the joint notice of the ministry of justice and the ministry of construction on the strengthening of notarization in the administration of property registers, which clearly stated that matters such as inheritance of property, gifts and properties were no longer a precondition for registration。
In other words, at the legal level, inheritance of property does not require notarization at a public notary's office for a substantial price, and it can be transferred directly to the real estate register. Then why does anyone else think that "notarized" is necessary? There are two main reasons:
1. Historical inertia: until 2016, notaries were indeed required to inherit property, and many, if not some, grass-roots workers remained in the old concept。
Poor information: in order to carry out their business, some intermediaries or notaries will deliberately emphasize that “unfairness cannot be done” and “unjustified risks” create anxiety and allow people to pay。
By 2026, with the full implementation of the “one-stop-shop” “one-window” of local real estate registrations, the process of non-notarized inheritance had become very mature and complete, with complete material, and it was possible to complete the transfer at zero cost and efficiently。
Core premise: what circumstances can be followed by “non-civil inheritance”
Not all inheritances can go directly through a non-notarized process, and several core conditions need to be met, or they need to be resolved through notarization or litigation:
1. Clear and uncontested scope of heirs
That is the most critical premise. All legal heirs (spouses, children, parents, etc.) have no objection to property inheritance and have consented to the transfer in the form of legal succession or will succession. If an heir disputes the shares and modalities of succession, the power must be ascertained through notarized or court proceedings。
2. Proof of kinship and inheritance
The real estate registry is required to confirm, through material, that you are a legal heir, including, inter alia:
- death certificate of the heir (medical certificate of death issued by the hospital, certificate of sale issued by the police station, etc.)。
- proof of kinship between the heir and the heir (housebook, marriage certificate, birth medical certificate, copying of personnel files, etc.)。
- proof of ownership of property (property certificate, real estate title certificate)。
- written declarations, if any, by other heirs of waiver of succession。
3. Absence of a will or will valid and uncontested
If the heir has a will and all heirs accept the will's authenticity and validity, a non-notarized succession may also be made directly by the will. In the event of a dispute over the will, the effects of the will would need to be confirmed through the courts。
Non-notarized succession process in 2026: zero costs, step by step
The process is now very different everywhere, and in the first-line cities, for example, non-notarized property is generally divided into the following steps, with no cost for the entire journey:
Step 1: preparation of materials, advance appointment
List of core materials:
- certificate of death of the heir
- inheritance id, account book
- certificate of kinship (available at police station, unit personnel)
- certificate of real estate rights
- statements of waiver of succession by other heirs (if any)
- wills (if any)
Pre-arrangement: make an appointment for the “non-notarized succession to immovable property registry” business through a network of officials of the local immovable property registry centre, a public number or a “one-stop shop” platform to avoid on-site queues。
Step 2: submission to the real property registry, completion of application forms
At the appointed time, all materials are brought to the real property registration centre and the application for real property registration is completed, and the staff member conducts a preliminary examination of the material. If the material is complete, it will be accepted on the spot; if it is missing, the additional information will be communicated once。
Step 3: public announcement, supervised
In order to prevent the concealment of heirs, counterfeit material, etc., the immovable property registry publishes matters of succession, which generally last 15 working days. If there is no objection during the publicity period, the next step is taken; if there is an objection, the objection needs to be resolved before the matter continues。
Step iv: validation of approval to obtain a title to real estate
After the announcement, the application will be finalised by the real estate registration centre, which will then receive the new real estate title certificate. There are no other costs involved in the process, except for a small amount of work capital (normally dozens of dollars), and a genuine “zero cost” transfer。
Iv. Why should preference be given to non-civil succession? I'll figure it out
Many feel that “notarization is more economical”, but the advantages of non-notarized inheritance are clear in terms of cost and efficiency:
1. Zero costs with significant savings
Notary fees are charged in proportion to the evaluated value of the property, generally between 0. 1 per cent and 0. 3 per cent. For a 5 million-dollar set of properties, the notary fee is $5,000 to $15,000, excluding assessment fees, lawyers ' fees, etc. Instead of notarizing the inheritance, there is no other cost than the cost of the work, which directly saves tens of thousands。
2. Process transparency and avoidance of intermediaries
In the notarization process, many people go to intermediaries, who not only pay high costs of representation, but also run the risk of the intermediaries falsifying material and concealing information. Instead of a notarized succession, direct access to the real estate registry, transparent processes, preparation of materials, and no fear of diversion。
3. Increased efficiency and lower time costs
Previously, notarized succession had to be assessed, notarized and finally transferred, and the entire process could take one or two months. Non-notarized succession now takes place through a “one-stop shop”, and when the material is complete, the publicity period ends and the time costs are significantly reduced。
Common question answers: these pits must be avoided
1. Will there be a legal risk of non-notarial succession
Nope. Non-notarized succession is a legitimate means specified by the state, and material is subject to rigorous scrutiny by the real property registry and the publicity period is effective against risk. As long as the material is true and the heirs are not in dispute, the formalities of transfer and civil succession have the same legal effect。
2. In case of a will, do you need a notary
No need. As long as the will is an expression of the true will of the heir and all the heirs accept it, it is possible to proceed directly by means of a will and notarized succession. In the event of a dispute over the will, the effects of the will would need to be confirmed through the courts。
3. What if the heir is not available in the field
The delegate may be entrusted with the requirement of a notarized power of attorney and identification of the deputy. Online submissions and waivers of succession declarations may also be made through a “one-stop shop” platform, without the need for physical presence。
4. Are there any outstanding loans on the property to inherit the household
It is possible, but it is necessary to negotiate with the bank, process the transfer of the loan, or repay the loan before the transfer takes place。
In the end: don't be fooled by the need for notarization
Inheritance of parental property is a major challenge for every family. In the past, “notary fees” have been prohibitive to many, even because of the problem of costs, which has led to family conflicts. Now, with policy optimization, non-public inheritance has become the mainstream option with zero cost, efficiency and legal compliance。
It is important to know the policy through official channels, and not to rely on one-sided propaganda by intermediaries or notaries, in cases of inheritance. When a staff member requests a “notarization required”, he or she may clearly inform him or her of the requirements of the ministry of justice and require that the procedure be conducted in a non-notarized process。
Finally, it is hoped that this article will help you to make the inheritance of property a simple, transparent and fair process, no longer a “cost-for-nothing” exercise。
This paper, which was originally launched in 2016 by the ministry of justice and is based on the 2016 repeal of the compulsory notary requirement, the 2025 policy of optimizing the registration of immovable property in all regions and the interim regulations on the registration of real estates, is intended only for policy interpretation and personal opinions and does not involve legal advice, the absence of lies, the non-exaggeration and non-violation, and strict adherence to information management norms on the platform and the internet。
