Notarial certificates or records (actas) are public documents in which the notary records facts, statements, situations or actions. They carry great weight as evidence because they are backed by the notary's official authority to attest (fe pública).
Notarial Deposit Record (Acta de Depósito)
The notary receives and holds documents, objects or money in safekeeping, recording their deposit to guarantee their preservation and serve as evidence.
- These may be documents, keys, digital devices, sealed wills, etc.
- Guarantees impartial and secure safekeeping.
- The depositor is given a receipt, and the notary acts as custodian of the object or document.
Signature Authentication (Acta de Legitimación de Firma)
Used to certify that a signature on a document belongs to the person who appears before the notary.
- It does not cover the content of the document, only the identity of the signatory.
- The notary verifies identity by means of a Spanish ID card (DNI) or another official document.
- Useful in administrative or private procedures where authentication is required.
Notarial Record of Statements (Acta de Manifestaciones)
The notary takes down and transcribes the voluntary statements made by a person before them.
- The declarant is solely responsible for the content.
- The notary attests that the statements were made, not that they are true.
- Common in inheritance matters, supporting evidence or declarations of intent.
Notarial Notification (Acta de Notificación)
The notary delivers a document or communication to a person and records the attempt or the outcome.
- Ensures that the recipient has received the information.
- A refusal to accept it or the absence of the addressee can also be recorded.
- Useful for legal, employment or civil formal demands.
Notarial Declaration of Public Knowledge (Acta de Notoriedad)
Allows the notary to declare a fact to be well established after verifying it through documentary evidence and witness testimony.
- Example: declaration of heirs (declaración de herederos) where there is no will.
- Requires analysis, summonses, publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE) where applicable, and witnesses.
- Has important legal effects (as conclusive proof of the fact declared).
Notarial Certificate of Facts (Acta de Presencia)
The notary attests to having witnessed a fact or situation at a specific moment.
- Can record physical situations (the condition of a property, how a website works, the presence of people, etc.).
- It is drafted objectively, without value judgements.
- Provides strong legal certainty for facts that would be hard to prove later on.
Notarial Filing Record (Acta de Protocolización)
Consists of incorporating private documents or proceedings into the notary's official records (protocolo), giving them the status of a public document.
- May concern minutes of meetings, contracts, court judgments, arbitration awards, etc.
- Allows them to be kept securely and gives them authenticity.
- The document must be lawful and meet the formal requirements.
Notarial Record of a Prize Draw (Acta de Sorteo)
The notary witnesses a draw or competition and records the process and the result.
- Ensures the transparency and legality of the procedure.
- Can be used for commercial promotions and public or internal competitions.
- Sets out the participants, the method of the draw, the mechanism and the winners.
Note: All notarial records are public documents with evidential and enforceable force. The notary's involvement guarantees legality, impartiality and legal certainty.