Dutch Parliament Targets Notary-Hopping to Combat Financial Crime
Amsterdam, Wednesday, 4 June 2025.
The Dutch parliament proposes measures to stop ‘notary-hopping,’ where clients evade service refusal by finding new notaries, addressing risks of money laundering and organized crime in legal processes.
Notary-Hopping and Its Implications
The practice of ‘notary-hopping’ involves clients, often those suspected of illicit activities such as money laundering, seeking multiple notaries to facilitate their transactions after being denied service. The Dutch parliament is actively seeking solutions to curb this trend to preserve the integrity of notarial services. This issue has come to light amid increasing concerns over the facilitation of criminal activities through legal loopholes, undermining financial and legal systems in the Netherlands [1].
The Legislative Initiative
A recent motion adopted by the Tweede Kamer aims to explore creating a legal framework that allows notaries to share information about refused clients under strict conditions, without breaching confidentiality obligations. This motion was introduced by VVD-Kamerlid Wendy van Eijk within the context of preventing criminal elements from exploiting notarial services. The parliament has urged the government to report on viable strategies and the potential impact of such a system by the end of the year [1].
Balancing Confidentiality and Security
The Koninklijke Notariële Beroepsorganisatie has identified a possible solution to the dilemma posed by ‘notary-hopping’ through the proposal of a collective confidentiality duty within the notary profession. This would allow notaries to communicate about suspicious clients with their colleagues to a certain extent. Additionally, the organization supports establishing a ‘grey list’ of clients who have been refused service, as a measure to prevent the misuse of notarial services [1].
Ongoing Discussions and Future Prospects
The Dutch parliament acknowledges the importance of notaries as gatekeepers in the legal system, particularly in the fight against financial crime. As discussions continue, stakeholders, including legislative bodies and professional organizations, are working to find a balanced approach that protects public interest while respecting professional ethics. As of now, the initiative is still in the exploratory phase, with developments expected by the end of 2025 [1].