What is the Sri Lanka Notary's Preliminary Examination?

It is a competitive entry-level exam conducted by the Department of Examinations for the Registrar General's Department. It recruits individuals to become 'articled clerks' (notary apprentices). After passing this exam and interview, clerks train under an Attorney-at-Law or Notary Public for 2 to 3 years before sitting for the Final Examination.

Who is eligible to take the Preliminary Notary Exam?

Candidates must be Sri Lankan citizens between 20 and 50 years of age. Educationally, they need at least 6 passes in G.C.E. O/L (including Mathematics and Language) in no more than 2 sittings with at least 3 credit passes, and 3 passes in G.C.E. A/L in a single sitting (excluding the General Common Test).

What subjects are tested in the exam?

The exam consists of three written papers: (1) General Knowledge and Sri Lanka Legal History (focusing on Roman-Dutch law, local customary laws, and notarial ordinances), (2) Language Proficiency (translation, grammar, and vocabulary in Sinhala, Tamil, and English), and (3) General Intelligence and Aptitude (numerical, logical, and analytical problems).

What is the passing mark for the Notary Preliminary Exam?

Candidates must obtain a minimum of 40% on each of the three papers to qualify. However, because it is a competitive exam with a limited number of articled clerk licenses issued, final selection is based on top merit scores, district quotas, and ethnic ratios.

How long is the apprenticeship after passing the exam?

Once selected, articled clerks must serve an apprenticeship under an Attorney-at-Law or Notary Public of the Supreme Court who has at least 10 years of active practice. The duration of articles is typically 2 to 3 years, during which they gain practical conveyancing and notarial experience.

What is the fee for the Notary Preliminary Exam?

The examination application fee is set by the Department of Examinations for each specific recruitment call, typically ranging from LKR 1,000 to 2,000. It must be paid prior to submitting the application. Once qualified and completing training, a separate license fee of LKR 3,000 is paid to the Registrar General.

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Sri Lanka Notaries Final Examination (Registrar General's Department)

Practice Questions100 questions

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: Sri Lanka Notary's Preliminary Exam Exam

3 Papers

Written Exam Papers

Department of Examinations

40%

Minimum Passing Score

Registrar General

2-3 Years

Mandatory Apprenticeship

Notaries Ordinance

20-50

Age Eligibility

Gazette Notice

LKR 1,000-2,000

Typical Application Fee

Gazette Notice

District

Intake Quota System

Government Policy

The Sri Lanka Notary's Preliminary Examination is a highly competitive entry-level written test for aspiring notaries (articled clerks). Administered by the Department of Examinations on behalf of the Registrar General's Department, it consists of three papers testing General Knowledge & Legal History, Language Proficiency (English, Sinhala, Tamil), and General Intelligence & Aptitude. To pass, candidates must score at least 40% on each paper, though final selection depends on vacancy rankings, district quotas, and ethnic ratios. Selected candidates enter a mandatory 2-to-3-year articled clerkship under a senior practitioner before taking the Final Examination.

Sample Sri Lanka Notary's Preliminary Exam Practice Questions

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1Which primary legislation regulates the licensing, duties, and professional conduct of Notaries Public in Sri Lanka?

A.The Prevention of Frauds Ordinance No. 7 of 1840

B.The Notaries Ordinance No. 1 of 1907

C.The Registration of Documents Ordinance No. 23 of 1927

D.The Civil Law Ordinance No. 5 of 1852

Explanation: The Notaries Ordinance No. 1 of 1907 is the principal statute governing notaries in Sri Lanka, outlining the rules for their appointment, duties, and penalties for misconduct. The Prevention of Frauds Ordinance governs the execution of deeds, while the Registration of Documents Ordinance regulates deed registration.

2Which legal system serves as the general common law of Sri Lanka in civil matters where no specific statutory or customary law applies?

A.English Common Law

B.Roman-Dutch Law

C.Kandyan Law

D.Thesawalamai Law

Explanation: Roman-Dutch Law is the common law of Sri Lanka, introduced during the Dutch colonial administration (1658–1796) and formally retained by the British under the Proclamation of 1799. Customary laws like Kandyan or Thesawalamai apply as special personal/local laws and override common law where applicable.

3Under Section 2 of the Prevention of Frauds Ordinance (No. 7 of 1840), which of the following transactions must be signed before a Notary Public and two witnesses to be legally valid?

A.A contract for the sale of movable goods worth over LKR 1,000

B.A partition of land, transfer of land, or mortgage of immovable property

C.An agreement to enter into a partnership for less than a year

D.A contract of employment for a clerk

Explanation: Section 2 of the Prevention of Frauds Ordinance requires transactions affecting land or immovable property — sales, transfers, mortgages, partitions and agreements creating a security or interest in land (other than a lease at will or for a period not exceeding one month) — to be in writing, signed by the executants, and attested by a Notary Public before two witnesses present at the same time. Movable-property contracts or short partnerships do not fall under this conveyancing rule.

4How many witnesses must attest a deed of transfer or mortgage when executed before a Notary Public in Sri Lanka?

A.One witness

B.Two witnesses

C.Three witnesses

D.Five witnesses

Explanation: Under Sri Lankan law, any deed (except a last will) executed before a Notary Public must be signed by the parties in the presence of the notary and at least two attesting witnesses. If a last will is executed without a notary, it requires five witnesses, but with a notary, two witnesses are sufficient.

5According to the Notaries Ordinance, on or before which day of the month must a notary transmit the duplicates of all deeds executed before him to the Land Registry?

A.The 5th day of the following month

B.The 10th day of the following month

C.The 15th day of the following month

D.The 30th day of the following month

Explanation: Under Section 31 of the Notaries Ordinance, every notary must deliver or transmit to the Registrar of Lands of the district on or before the 15th day of every month the duplicates of all deeds (with protocols) executed before him during the preceding month.

6What is the primary effect of registering an instrument affecting land under the Registration of Documents Ordinance No. 23 of 1927?

A.It automatically cures any substantive defects in the title of the land

B.It grants priority to the registered instrument over any unregistered or later-registered instruments

C.It exempts the transaction from land taxes and stamp duties

D.It transfers the legal title of the land to the state

Explanation: Registration under the Registration of Documents Ordinance grants priority to an instrument over unregistered or subsequently registered deeds affecting the same land. It does not validate an invalid deed or cure title defects; it simply regulates priority between competing claims.

7Customary law known as 'Thesawalamai' applies to which specific category of persons and property in Sri Lanka?

A.All Tamil citizens residing anywhere in Sri Lanka

B.Malabarian (Tamil) inhabitants of the Jaffna Province, and lands situated in the Jaffna Province

C.Kandyan Sinhalese in matters of inheritance and marriage

D.Muslim residents in the Eastern Province

Explanation: Thesawalamai is both a personal law applying to Tamil inhabitants of the Jaffna Province (Malabari Tamils) and a local law applying to all lands situated in the Jaffna Province, regardless of the owner's ethnicity.

8Which historic British proclamation preserved the application of Roman-Dutch Law in the Maritime Provinces of Ceylon (Sri Lanka)?

A.The Charter of Justice of 1801

B.The Proclamation of 1799

C.The Kandyan Convention of 1815

D.The Colebrooke-Cameron Reforms of 1833

Explanation: Following the British capture of Maritime Ceylon, Governor Frederick North issued the Proclamation of 1799, which declared that the administration of justice should be secure under the laws that subsisted under the Dutch (Roman-Dutch Law), unless altered by competent authority.

9Under Kandyan Law, what are the two main forms of marriage that determine a woman's right to inherit her ancestral property?

A.Diga and Binna

B.Nika and Mut'ah

C.Usufruct and Fideicommissum

D.Monogamous and Polygamous

Explanation: Kandyan Law recognizes two marriage forms: 'Diga' (where the bride goes to live in the husband's house and forfeits her paternal inheritance rights) and 'Binna' (where the husband goes to live in the bride's family house, and she retains her inheritance rights).

10Which government official is responsible for licensing notaries, maintaining protocol registers, and overseeing land registries in Sri Lanka?

A.The Chief Justice of Sri Lanka

B.The Minister of Justice

C.The Registrar General of Documents

D.The Commissioner General of Examinations

Explanation: The Registrar General of Documents (heading the Registrar General's Department) is the administrative head responsible for licensing notaries public, maintaining notarial protocol archives, and managing the land registries across the districts of Sri Lanka.

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