The Ministry of Law and Justice has approved a substantial rise in the number of notaries in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, and Nagaland to meet the growing public demand for legal attestation services.
The Ministry of Law and Justice has notified the Notaries (Amendment) Rules, 2025, expanding the maximum number of notaries allowed in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, and Nagaland. The move aims to address the increasing need for notarial services resulting from population growth and administrative expansion in these states.
The amendment, issued through G.S.R. 763(E) on October 17, 2025, modifies the Notaries Rules, 1956, under the authority of Section 15 of the Notaries Act, 1952. According to the Department of Legal Affairs, the revised rules took effect immediately upon their publication in the Official Gazette.
State-Wise Revised Limits
Under the amended notification, the maximum number of notaries in each of the four states has been significantly increased:
- Gujarat: from 2,900 to 6,000
- Tamil Nadu: from 2,500 to 3,500
- Rajasthan: from 2,000 to 3,000
- Nagaland: from 200 to 400
Rationale Behind the Amendment
The Ministry said the decision follows formal requests from the state governments, which cited a growing backlog in notary appointments and rising public demand for attestation and authentication services.
Officials noted that the expansion in population, the creation of new districts, tehsils, and talukas, and the increased volume of legal documentation have all contributed to the need for more notaries.
By revising the limits, the government aims to ensure easier access to notary services across both urban and rural regions, reduce waiting times, and improve the overall efficiency of legal verification processes.
The amendment reflects the Centre’s ongoing effort to modernise India’s notarial framework and make legal documentation more accessible to citizens. Officials said similar reviews may be conducted periodically to align notarial capacities with administrative and demographic changes across states.
