reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter III - Duties of the Notary (§§ 2021 — 2023) › § 2021 - Duties of the notary—Stamps; exemptions

Barring the exceptions established by law, it shall be the duty of every notary to attach and cancel on each original deed executed and on the certified copies issued thereby the corresponding Internal Revenue stamps, Legal Aid Society stamps, and a stamp to be adopted and issued by the Bar Association of Puerto Rico at a cost of one dollar ($1), whose proceeds shall be covered in equal shares into the Puerto Rican Notary Institute and the Puerto Rico Notary Association. The Secretary of the Treasury may adopt and issue notarial tax stamps electronically, on his/her own or through Internal Revenue agents, that shall serve the same purpose and be used in the same manner.
The notary may pay the fees corresponding to the internal revenue stamps, the seal of the Legal Aid Society and the notarial tax seal through electronic means in accordance with the procedure to such effects to be approved by the Secretary of the Treasury, who may establish alternative mechanisms for the obligation of affixing and canceling seals in the instrument, all in coordination with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court or the person upon whom he/she delegates.
The deed or certified copies of it shall be voidable or ineffective if the corresponding stamps are not attached to it or if any method established by the Secretary of the Treasury in substitution of the affixing of the seals required by law is not observed. However, any of the parties to the document may deliver the amount of said fees to the corresponding officer without impairing the provisions of the fifth paragraph of § 2011 of this title.
The Puerto Rico Bar Association shall be bound to designate at least one third (1 / 3) of the total income derived from the notarial stamp to community services programs, such as: free legal aid to indigents and continuing legal education programs for attorneys and the notaries themselves. No later than the month of February, the Association shall be bound to file an annual report before the Supreme Court specifying the income for the previous year from that concept, its use and the remainder.
The notaries from Servicios Legales de Puerto Rico, Inc., the Legal Aid Clinics of the Law Schools of the Island and any other entity or nonprofit organization, certified by the Secretary of Justice, whose purposes and functions are similar to those of these corporations shall not be bound to attach and cancel the stamps mentioned in this section when they execute documents for indigent persons following the eligibility criteria established by these bodies, but this circumstance shall be included in the document.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 10; July 30, 1999, No. 188, § 1; Dec. 13, 2007, No. 196, § 5; Oct. 13, 2009, No. 121, § 9.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter III - Duties of the Notary (§§ 2021 — 2023) › § 2023 - Duties of the notary—Monthly indices

The notaries shall send a monthly index of their notarial activities to the Notarial Inspection Office of Puerto Rico no later than the tenth calendar day of the month following the month reported stating, with respect to the master deeds and affidavits authorized by them during the preceding month, the numerical order of the same, the name of the appearing parties, the date, the subject of the instrument or testimony, the amount of each instrument and the name of the witnesses, if any appeared.
In said report, the notary shall certify to having sent the returns required to be remitted to the Department of the Treasury and the Municipal Revenue Collection Center pursuant to § 2022 of this title.
If the notary has not had any notarial activity during a particular month, he/she shall send a negative report for that month to the Notarial Inspection Office. Provided, That the fact that the notary has ceased to practice notarial law shall not be a valid excuse for failure to comply with the filing of the monthly index of notarial activity. The above shall not apply if the notary has presented his/her resignation to the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, through the Notarial Inspection Office, and his/her notarial work has been inspected, approved and deposited in the corresponding notarial archive and the notary has surrendered his/her notarial seal.
The monthly index of notarial activity must contain the notary’s number, the mailing and physical address and telephone of the notarial office, and his/her email address. When the notary is a public servant, it shall also contain the name and address of the public agency where he/she works. The presentation of the referred reports to the Notarial Inspection Office shall be carried out as provided by the Supreme Court through regulations.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 12; Jan. 8, 2004, No. 23, § 1; Dec. 14, 2006, No. 268, § 1; Dec. 13, 2007, No. 196, § 7.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2031 - Public documents—Classes

The original deed is the one that the notary shall write regarding the contract or act submitted for his authorization signed by the grantors, by the attesting witnesses or those having knowledge of the facts of his case, signed, marked, sealed and flourished by the notary himself.
The public documents include public deeds and notarial certificates whether they are originals or certified copies.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 13, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2031a - Annual statistical report of notarial activity

Every notary shall remit to the Director of the Notarial Inspection Office, the annual statistical report that is required on the notarial documents authorized during the preceding year no later than the last day of February of the following year.
In the event that said date is a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, or if by provision of the competent authority the Notarial Inspection Office is closed, the deadline shall be considered extended to the next working day.
The report shall be made on the form provided by the Director of the Notarial Inspection Office.
In case of a late presentation of the annual statistical report on notarial activity, the Director of the Notarial Inspection Office may require the notary to explain the delay and to submit any other information that the Director deems convenient.
The Director of the Notarial Inspection Office may accept the explanation offered and advise the notary of the strict compliance of his/her obligations as such in the future. In the cases deemed pertinent, the Director shall submit a report on this matter to the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico.
The report shall be made in the form provided by the Notarial Inspection Office. When the notary is an employee of a public instrumentality which allows him/her to engage in notarial private practice outside working hours, the notary shall separate the notarial work performed as notary of the public body from the work performed in private practice in the required report.
The Supreme Court of Puerto Rico may eliminate the obligation of the notaries to file the annual statistical report of notarial activity established in this section once the electronic systems that generate this information based upon the monthly indices sent by the notaries have been adopted.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, added as § 13-A on Jan. 8, 2004, No. 24, § 1; Dec. 13, 2007, No. 196, § 8.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2032 - Public documents—Drawing; contents

Notaries shall write the public documents according to the will of the grantors and adapt them to the juridical formalities necessary to their effectiveness.
Whenever the grantors hand over to the notary drafts or certificates concerning the act or contract they have submitted for his authorization, he must state it without impairing his review and editing, with their consent, to the effect that the meaning of the statements of will and agreements comprised therein are clearly and specifically stated.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 14, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2034 - Public documents—Signatures; initials; flourish and seal

The grantors and witnesses shall sign the deed and shall also affix the initials of their name and surname or surnames to the margin of each one of the pages of the document which shall be flourished and sealed by the notary.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 16, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2035 - Public documents—Identification of parties

In the absence of personal cognizance by the notary, the following shall be supplemental means of identification:
(a) An assertion of a person who knows the grantor and is responsible for the identification and is known by the notary, and the notary is responsible for the witness’ identity.
(b) The identification of one of the contracting parties by the other, provided that the notary certifies his cognizance of the latter.
(c) Identification by identity document with a photograph and signature issued by competent public authorities of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States or a state of the Union, whose purpose is to identify the persons, or by a passport duly issued by a foreign authority.
Witnesses as to identity shall be responsible for the identification of the grantors, as shall the grantor who attests to the identity of other grantors not known by the notary, and the notary shall be responsible for the cognizance of such witnesses.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 17, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2036 - Public documents—Representation

The notary shall record the intervention of the grantors by stating whether they do so in their own name or in behalf of another, except when the representation arises from the law, in which case the grantor’s investiture shall be accredited, unless it is of general knowledge, in which case the notary may take cognizance of it and record it.
The representative shall sign the document with his own signature without it being necessary to first place the name of the person he represents or use the firm name or name of the entity he represents.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 18, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2037 - Public documents—Evidence of representation

Every grantor who appears in representation of another person shall always validate his designation before the notary with authenticating documents, except when there is the expressed agreement of the grantors. The full effectiveness of the documents shall be subordinated to the presentation of documentary evidence of the alleged representation.
There shall also be recorded the nature of the intervention of those grantors who appear only to the effect of complementing the capacity or give their authorization or consent to the contract.
Public officials legally authorized to represent the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, municipalities, instrumentalities or corporations shall not have to validate their powers before the notary.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 19, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2038 - Public documents—Attesting witnesses

The intervention of attesting witnesses shall not be necessary in the execution of deeds, except when required by the authorizing notary or any of the parties, or when one of the grantors does not know how to or cannot read or sign. This provision does not apply to wills which shall be governed by what is established by applicable legislation.
Attesting witnesses shall be present at the act of reading, consenting, signing and execution of the public document. Likewise, they may be identifying witnesses who, in turn, may be attestors if they meet the applicable legal requirements.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 20, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2039 - Public documents—Executing party who does not know how to or cannot read or sign

When any of the grantors does not know how to, or cannot read, the document in question shall be read out loud twice, once by the notary and another by the witness designated by the grantor, all of which shall be attested to by the notary.
When any of the grantors is deaf or blind who does not know how to read and sign, he must designate a witness who upon his request shall read or sign the public document for him or both. The notary shall record these circumstances.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 21, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2040 - Public documents—Witnesses; qualifications

The witnesses, including those as to identity, shall be of legal age, competent and know how to read and write and sign. Employees of the executing notary, his relatives or those of the interested parties within the fourth degree of consanguinity or the second of affinity shall not be attesting witnesses.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 22, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2041 - Public documents—Sufficient witnesses

One person shall suffice as attesting witness designated by the grantors, if they or the notary so require it. However, any of the two may oppose that certain persons act as such.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 23, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2042 - Public documents—Unity of action

When attesting witnesses appear at an execution, unity of action shall be indispensable, to which the notary shall attest to in the deed. Provided, That when the execution only requires the presence of a witness with personal knowledge, who at the same time is not an attesting witness, said unity of action shall not be necessary. However, at the act of signing, there shall coincide before the notary, the witness with personal knowledge and the party making an appearance that the witness knows and identifies for the notary, who shall so attest to in the deed.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 24; Aug. 26, 2005, No. 80, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2043 - Public documents—Executing party who does not know how to or cannot sign

Whenever any of the grantors does not know how to, or cannot sign, the notary shall require that they affix their two (2) thumb prints. If they do not have thumbs, any other fingers, next to the witness’ signature who signs at his or their request, and on the margin of the rest of the document’s folios, all which the notary shall attest to in the deed. If the grantor or grantors have no fingers, the notary shall state this circumstance and two (2) attesting witnesses shall sign at their request.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 25, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2044 - Public documents—Attestation by notary

It shall not be necessary for the notary to state that he attests to the stipulation included in each clause of the deed, nor of the legal condition or circumstances of the persons or cases to which it refers, it being sufficient that it be consigned once at the end of the document, which will certify its entire contents, so that such statement is understood to apply to all the words, stipulations, statements and conditions, real or personal, contained in the instrument in accordance with the law.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 26, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2045 - Public documents—Use of arabic numbers or abbreviations; blanks; possible means of drawing

Numbers shall not be used to express dates and amounts, unless they are also consigned in letters, except those included in direct quotations. Neither may abbreviations be used, nor blank spaces left in the text, and the originals may be handwritten as long as indelible ink, printing or a typewriter with an indelible ribbon are used, or through other mechanical or electronic mechanisms that produce indelible and permanent documents.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 27, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2046 - Public documents—Signatures

Those persons who sign a public instrument on any account, shall do so by signing at the end and affixing the initials of their name and surname or surnames in the margin of all folios, in the manner they usually do and the notary shall do so after them, flourishing, signing and sealing it.
If there are no attesting witnesses, it shall not be necessary for those appearing to sign the document together in the presence of the notary, but he/she may personally receive their signatures at any time within the same calendar day of the execution, pursuant to the provisions of § 2042 of this title.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 28; Aug. 26, 2005, No. 80, § 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2047 - Public documents—Correction of defects

The defects suffered by inter vivos notarial documents may be corrected without damage to third parties by the parties thereto or by their heirs or assigns, by means of a public deed which sets forth the defect, its cause and the correcting statement.
If the notary fails to record any data or circumstance provided by this chapter, or if it concerns an error in the statement as to the facts witnessed by the notary which is his duty to consign, they may be corrected by the executing notary at his own expense, on his own initiative or by petition of any of the parties, through a notarial certificate that shows the error or defect, its cause and the statement that corrects it.
If it is impossible to make the correction in any of the ways indicated above, it may be obtained by any legally-admitted means of proof, through the corresponding judicial procedure before the Court of First Instance.
In any case, the notary shall indicate the fact of the correction in the margin of the original document under his signature and seal, and shall indicate the deed or notarial certificate in which they were made.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 29, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2048 - Public documents—Certificates

The notaries, at the request of a party or on their own initiative and under their oath, signature, sign, flourish and notarial seal, shall extend and execute certificates which consign facts and circumstances witnessed by them or of which they have personal knowledge and that due to their nature do not constitute a contract or juridical business.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 30, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2049 - Public documents—Contents and formalities of certificates

The notarial certificates shall include the corresponding deed number, the date in which they are executed, the declaratory part and the notary’s signature. The enjoiner may sign the certificate if he so wishes, or if required by the notary.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 31, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2050 - Public documents—Clerical errors; correction

Any additions, annotations, interlineations, erasures and crossouts in the public deeds shall be held as valueless unless they are certified after the last line, with the express approval and signature of those who must sign the document.
However, the mistaken words may be placed within parentheses followed by the words “I say” [I mean] to make it clear that they should not be read.
The blank spaces remaining at the end of a line or when a paragraph begins on the next line shall not be considered as such; but in this case the blank shall be filled with a line or dash.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 32, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2051 - Public documents—Acceptance deeds

A party to a juristic act may appear in a public deed and make an offer to be accepted by another party in a different document that may be executed before another notary on another date and place.
In this case the main deed that sets forth the offer shall also include the personal circumstances of the party who will later appear in the deed of assent, as they are informed by the party thereto, as well as the complete text of the juristic act, without leaving any detail to be added by the deed of assent. It shall also fix the term within which the deed of assent will be executed, its requirements and the causes for the revocation or lapse of the offer’s, if any.
In the deed of assent, besides complying with the requirements for public documents imposed by this chapter, there shall be a precise and exact statement of the offer, or there shall be attached a certified copy of the deed of offer to which the deed of assent makes reference, and a statement by the person appearing to the effect that he knows, understands and accepts the offer made in said document.
In the event that the notary who executes or officially records the deed of assent is not the notary who executed the original deed, he will send a certified copy of the deed to the latter, under his notarial certification, personally, or by certified mail with acknowledgement of receipt, and he shall also notify the offerer of the acceptance, by certified mail with acknowledgement of receipt. The notary shall record, through a marginal note or at the end of the original deed, the existence of the deed of assent, identifying it by number, date and name of the executing notary. Once this requirement is complied with, it shall be understood that the offerer has knowledge of the acceptance of his offer.
If the offer is accepted outside Puerto Rico, the notary who executes the deed that sets forth the offer shall comply with what is mandated herein upon receipt of the acceptance in an authentic and duly executed document, and shall also comply with the official recording requirement of § 2056 of this title.
The assent may also be executed by inclusion in the same deed that sets forth the offer, and any other information that facilitates the identification and location of the executing notary.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 33, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2052 - Public documents—Null and void

Public instruments shall be null:
(1) That include any provision in favor of the notary who executes it.
(2) Where the witnesses are relatives of the interested parties in the degree prohibited by § 2040 of this title, the relatives or employees of the notary himself.
(3) In which the signatures of the parties and witnesses when they should, and the notary’s signature, do not appear.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 34, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2053 - Public documents—Voidable

Public instruments in which the notary fails to attest to his cognizance of the grantors or does not supplement this deficiency in the form established by § 2035 of this title shall be voidable.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 35, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2054 - Public documents—Wills and mortis causa conveyances

That which is provided by §§ 2031—2053 of this title with regard to the form of the instruments and their nullity shall not be applicable to wills and other mortis causa provisions governed by Title 31.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 36, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2055 - Public documents—Paper; margins; binding

Public notarial documents shall be written on sheets of paper or folios fourteen inches (14) long by eight and a half inches (8 ½) wide, and on the side by which they are to be bound they shall have a blank margin of twenty millimeters (20mm) plus another on the left side of the deed of sixty millimeters (60mm) and on the right a strip or margin of three millimeters (3mm). If the reverse side of the sheet is used, the margins on it shall completely coincide with those on the face of the document.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 37; Sept. 29, 2006, No. 220, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2007.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IV - On Public Documents (§§ 2031 — 2056) › § 2056 - Public documents—Executed outside Puerto Rico; protocolization

In order for it to be valid as a public instrument, every notarial document executed outside Puerto Rico must be previously protocolized, with the notary being bound to cancel the same fees as if it had been originally executed in Puerto Rico.
The protocolization of certifications of resolutions adopted by a Board of Directors of a banking entity, corporation or trust, issued outside Puerto Rico shall not be necessary; but they must be duly attested before a notary and the notary’s signature authenticated.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 38, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter V - On Copies of Public Instruments (§§ 2061 — 2068) › § 2061 - Copies—Certified

A certified copy is the literal, total or partial transcript of a document executed before a notary that is issued by him or the person officially in charge of his protocol, with a certificate regarding the truth of the contents, and the number of folios of the document as well as the signature, sign and flourish, and the seal and flourish of the attesting notary on every page.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 39, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter V - On Copies of Public Instruments (§§ 2061 — 2068) › § 2062 - Copies—Partial

At the request of a party the notary may issue partial copies of documents found in his protocol, stating under his responsibility that there is nothing which broadens, restricts, modifies or conditions the excerpt in what is issued.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 40, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter V - On Copies of Public Instruments (§§ 2061 — 2068) › § 2063 - Copies—Notation of issuance

When issuing a certified copy the notary shall consign in the main deed, by means of a signed annotation, the name of the person to whom it is issued, the date and the number corresponding to the copy according to those already issued. These data shall appear in the copies.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 41, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter V - On Copies of Public Instruments (§§ 2061 — 2068) › § 2064 - Copies—Documents incorporated

When another document has been incorporated to the main deed, every page of the copy issued must be sealed and flourished by the notary and the notary shall likewise certify that it is a true and exact copy of the original joined to the main deed.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 42, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter V - On Copies of Public Instruments (§§ 2061 — 2068) › § 2065 - Copies—Persons entitled to

In addition to the grantors, their representatives and assigns, any person entitled to some right as a result of the deed, whether directly, or already acquired through a different deed, and who, in the judgment of the notary or the Notarial Registrar concerned, establishes a legitimate interest in the document, except for wills executed prior to the death of the testator, shall be entitled to obtain copies at any time. All persons entitled to obtain copies may conduct said transaction through legal or voluntary representation provided the right for so doing is vouched for by the notary or the Notarial Registrar concerned, and that the latter states in writing under his/her signature, the full name of the person being represented and the basis whereby he/she deems that the person thus represented is entitled, per se, to obtain the copy being requested.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 43; Mar. 5, 1999, No. 89, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter V - On Copies of Public Instruments (§§ 2061 — 2068) › § 2066 - Copies—Refusal to issue

Once a notary has refused to issue a copy one may appear formally or informally before the Director of the Office of Notarial Inspection, who, having heard said notary and the complainant, shall dictate what is in order. If the decision directs that a copy be issued, the notary shall record it on the copy’s issuance annotation in the main deed and in its certification annotation. Such a resolution shall be drafted in a brief and concise manner and the notary shall be notified.
The notary’s denial, confirmed by the Director of the Office of Inspection of Notarial Offices, may be appealed before the competent part of the Court of First Instance. Said part may order the issuance of the copy or confirm the denial after examining the arguments of the appellant and the resolution of the Director of the Office of Inspection of Notarial Offices. Such resolution may be revised by the Supreme Court through certiorari.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 44, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter V - On Copies of Public Instruments (§§ 2061 — 2068) › § 2067 - Copies—Means of production

The notary is hereby empowered to issue certified photographic copies, or copies reproduced by any other electronic means, of original deeds which once they are certified by the notary shall be deemed valid for all legal purposes.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 45, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter V - On Copies of Public Instruments (§§ 2061 — 2068) › § 2068 - Copies—Simple

Notaries may issue simple copies of main deeds upon request of the same persons with a right to request certified copies, but without a guaranteed transcription of the document. These copies shall not be signed, sealed or flourished, nor shall a marginal note of its certified copy be placed on the original deed.
The notary shall allow the contents of documents of his protocol to be read by those who, in his judgment, show a legitimate interest as provided in § 2065 of this title.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 243, § 46, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VI - Notarial Deeds Protocol (§§ 2071 — 2079) › § 2071 - Protocol—Concept and characteristics

The protocol is the orderly collection of original deeds and acts executed during a calendar year by the notary, as well as the documents included therein.
The protocol shall be secret and shall only be examined according to the provisions of this chapter or by judicial order issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 47, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VI - Notarial Deeds Protocol (§§ 2071 — 2079) › § 2072 - Protocol—State property; responsibility for custody

The protocols belong to the State. Notaries shall conserve them in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and shall be responsible for their integrity. If they are damaged or lost due to neglect, the notaries shall replace them at their own expense, and the Supreme Court shall also be able to impose the sanctions established in § 2102 of this title, at its discretion. If there is reason to suspect the commission of a crime, the competent authority shall be informed, so that the corresponding action is taken.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 48, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VI - Notarial Deeds Protocol (§§ 2071 — 2079) › § 2073 - Protocol—Foliated pages

All of the protocol’s pages, including its attachments, shall be permanently foliated on the upper right hand side with the corresponding numerical order, written in figures. Each folio shall bear its corresponding number according to the pages of the document.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 49, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VI - Notarial Deeds Protocol (§§ 2071 — 2079) › § 2074 - Protocol—Opening and closing formalities

The first face of the first document of each document of each protocol shall be labeled in the following manner:
“Protocol of public documents corresponding to the year (X).”
On the last day of each natural year, each protocol shall be closed in the same manner with the notary attesting the following annotation at the end of the last page of the last deed officially recorded:
“Hereby concludes the protocol for the year (X) which contains (so many) public instruments and (so many) folios authorized by me, the undersigned notary, to which I attest.”
These notes, at the opening as well as at the protocol’s closing, shall be signed, sealed, flourished and dated by the attesting notary.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 50, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VI - Notarial Deeds Protocol (§§ 2071 — 2079) › § 2075 - Protocol—Additional volumes

If a protocol has more than one volume for any year, each additional volume shall be opened with the following note:
“Hereby commences Volume (X) of my protocol of public deeds corresponding to the year (X).”
By the same token each additional volume that is not the last shall be also closed with the following note:
“Hereby concludes Volume (X) of my protocol of public deeds that contains (so many) instruments and (so many) folios.”
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 51, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VI - Notarial Deeds Protocol (§§ 2071 — 2079) › § 2076 - Protocol—Binding

The protocols of the preceding year together with the corresponding index of the contents of each volume shall be bound by the third month of each year. Said protocols shall be indexed by order of instrument and shall include the full name of the parties appearing, the name of the person represented, should that be the case, and the date and place of execution, the juridical business transacted and the number of the folios included therein.
The above notwithstanding, notaries may insert other indexes in the protocols as may be convenient to their practice and use as such.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 52; Aug. 17, 1999, No. 265, § 1, eff. 30 days after Aug. 17, 1999.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VI - Notarial Deeds Protocol (§§ 2071 — 2079) › § 2077 - Protocol—Removal from office prohibited; exceptions

The protocol shall not be removed from the notarial office, except by judicial decree or by authorization of the Notarial Inspection Office, in accordance with the procedure adopted for such purposes.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 53; Dec. 13, 2007, No. 196, § 9.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VI - Notarial Deeds Protocol (§§ 2071 — 2079) › § 2078 - Protocol—Fire protection

When the notary’s office is located in a wooden or mixed construction building, it shall be provided with fireproof steel or iron boxes in which the protocols shall be kept.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 54, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VI - Notarial Deeds Protocol (§§ 2071 — 2079) › § 2079 - Protocol—Loss or destruction; reconstruction

In the case a protocol is rendered useless or is lost in whole or in part, the notary shall report the fact to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who shall direct the reconstruction of the proper record by summoning the parties. The indexes and books shall be checked and all necessary records data shall be examined in order to restore insofar as practicable, what has been destroyed or rendered useless. The record shall be approved by the Supreme Court upon a recommendation of the Director of the Protocol Inspection Office.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 55, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VII - Testimony or Statements of Authenticity (§§ 2091 — 2095) › § 2091 - Testimony or statement of authenticity—Concept; restrictions; extent of notarial responsibility

Testimony or statement of authenticity is the document through which a notary, at the request of an interested party, may notarize a non-original document, in addition to the date of the testimony:
(1) Of the legality of the signatures appearing therein, provided it does not deal with acts included in § 2005 of this title or in subsections (1)—(6) of § 3453 of Title 31 in effect;
(2) of having taken a sworn statement in writing;
(3) of it being a true and exact translation of another document, provided he/she has knowledge of both languages and it is thus certified by the statement itself;
(4) of it being a true and exact copy of a document not found in a notarial protocol; or
(5) in general, of the identity of any object or thing.
Only the notaries shall give testimony of the facts, acts or contracts of mere specific interest without prejudice of the provisions of any of the laws in effect. The statements of authenticity may or may not be part of the oath.
Notaries shall not authenticate testimonies in the cases included in § 2005 of this title, nor in subsections (1)—(6) of § 3453 of Title 31 in effect. This prohibition specifically includes sales contracts of real property that expressly or implicitly intend to adjudicate specific portions of real property whose segregation has not been previously approved by the corresponding agencies.
The notary does not assume any responsibility for the contents of the private document whose signature he/she authenticates.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 56; Aug. 11, 1995, No. 156, § 2; Aug. 7, 1998, No. 194, § 2; Dec. 13, 2007, No. 196, § 10.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VII - Testimony or Statements of Authenticity (§§ 2091 — 2095) › § 2092 - Testimony or statement of authenticity—Forms; signature

The forms to be used in the affidavits shall be brief and simple and shall include the authenticity of the act, always with the notaries’ statement that they personally know the signers or the attesting witness, or certifying to having supplemented his personal knowledge in the manner indicated in § 2035 of this title.
In the event that the interested parties do not know how to, or cannot read or sign, the same norms of the public deed shall be applicable.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 57, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VII - Testimony or Statements of Authenticity (§§ 2091 — 2095) › § 2093 - Testimony or statement of authenticity—Numbering

The affidavits shall be numbered successively and continuously and shall be headed by their corresponding number which will correlate to that of the inscription in the registry established below.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 58, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VII - Testimony or Statements of Authenticity (§§ 2091 — 2095) › § 2094 - Testimony or statement of authenticity—Register

Notaries shall keep a register of the affidavits in which they intervene in the manner and under the requirements to be established in the Notarial Regulations. The Supreme Court may provide that the Register of Affidavits be kept in electronic format.
The notary may pay the fees corresponding to the seal of the Legal Aid Society through electronic means, in accordance with the procedure to be established by the Secretary of the Treasury in coordination with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court or the person upon whom he/she delegates. The Secretary of the Treasury may establish alternative mechanisms to the obligation to affix and cancel stamps.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 59; Dec. 13, 2007, No. 196, § 11.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VII - Testimony or Statements of Authenticity (§§ 2091 — 2095) › § 2095 - Testimony or statement of authenticity—Nullification

Any testimony not included in the index, or that does not bear the executing notary’s signature, or that has not been recorded in the Registry of Affidavits shall be null.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 60, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987; Jan. 4, 2012, No. 6, § 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VIII - Regulation and Inspection of Notaries (§§ 2101 — 2108) › § 2101 - Regulations

The Supreme Court shall approve regulations for the execution of this chapter, for the regulation of the notarial practice and the admission thereto, and to complement the provisions of this chapter.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 61; Dec. 13, 2007, No. 196, § 12.