Kuwait Approves Amendments to Notarization and Civil Laws, Refers Them to the Amir

The Kuwaiti Cabinet approved a draft decree-law amending Notarization Law No. 10 of 2020, and another draft decree-law amending Article 830 of the Civil Code, referring both drafts to His Highness the Amir, as reported by the "Kuwait Times".

The amendment to the Notarization Law transfers the task of attesting corporate documents to the Commercial Register at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, instead of the current entity, alongside introducing electronic and remote notarization systems. The project also includes a pre-marital qualification requirement in marriage contracts.

As for the amendment to Article 830 of the Civil Code, it concerns co-owned residential real estate—properties owned jointly by more than one person. Official details regarding the provisions of the civil amendment have not yet been published in an official gazette.

According to reports, the Notarization Law will take effect six months after its publication in the Official Gazette. This gives relevant companies and offices a grace period to prepare their electronic procedures, while the Civil Code decree is expected to be issued following approval by the Amir and publication.

What do these terms mean?

Decree-Law: A legislative tool issued in the absence of the National Assembly or under specific circumstances, carrying the force of law once approved and promulgated.

Notarization: The authentication by a competent authority of the validity of a signature or document for official certification, such as corporate contracts.

Commercial Register: A government database where companies, traders' names, and their legal data are registered.

Joint Ownership: When a single real estate property is owned by more than one person, each holding a share, without physical division of the property.