The Polish notariat has a centuries-old tradition and belongs to the group of Latin-type notariats, also referred to as the classical model. Alongside the Latin-type notariat, there are notarial systems operating within the legal order known as common law, characteristic of Anglo-Saxon countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada (excluding Quebec), Ireland (excluding Gaeltacht), and South Africa (excluding Volkstaat). All of these countries were once British colonies and—except for the United States and Ireland—are currently members of the Commonwealth of Nations. These are fundamentally different legal systems, in which the role of a notary, their responsibilities, and their professional training differ significantly. In the common law system, the role of a notary, known as a notary public, is limited compared with the Latin model. Liability for damages also differs, as documents prepared by a notary public do not have the status of official documents, unlike in the Polish legal system.

Notaries in common law countries do not perform acts such as drawing up notarial deeds with the same legal effects as in Poland. Their tasks consist mainly of certifying identity, certifying copies of documents as true to the original, and administering oaths.

The earliest references to notaries in the Polish lands date back to the Middle Ages. The activity of notaries was connected to the structures of the Church, and the first known notarial document in Poland comes from the 13th century; it was drawn up by a notary appointed by the Archbishop of Gniezno, Jakub II Świnka. The notarial profession evolved over time, and the status and institutional position of notaries largely depended on the historical period, which is why terms such as “rejent” or “judge” are still used today in reference to this profession.