The fees of the Servicio Autónomo de Registros y Notarías (SAREN, the national registries and notaries service) are still expressed in petros (Venezuela's state cryptocurrency, PTR) in the law and in the providencias (administrative rulings) in force, even though since January 2024 the petro can no longer be exchanged on the Plataforma Patria (the government's digital platform), according to AFP.
Which rules set the fees
On September 1, 2023, SAREN reported that it had not raised its fees and that those published in Gaceta Oficial No. 42.301 remained in force. As of October 28, 2026, we found no later providencia that changes them, nor any reform of the law that replaces the petro.
The rule for converting to bolívares
Providencias 001, 003 and 004 have the same article 3: the amounts "deberán ser calculados en Bolívares al valor de conversión del petro a la fecha de la solicitud" (must be calculated in bolívares at the petro's conversion value on the date of the application) before SAREN's offices. The law repeats the rule at the end of arts. 83 and 86: the fees "se pagarán en bolívares al valor del petro vigente a la fecha de la solicitud" (shall be paid in bolívares at the petro value in force on the date of the application).
amount in bolívares = fee in PTR × value of the petro in bolívares on the day of the application
The law also requires each office to display in a visible place, and on its digital portals and social networks, a copy of the providencia in letters no smaller than one centimeter and "el valor del petro en bolívares para el día" (the value of the petro in bolívares for the day). If it does not, the fine for the registrar or the notary is 10 PTR.
What happened to the petro and what value exists today
Even so, in its Criptoactivos, Petro section, the website of the Banco Central de Venezuela (BCV) keeps a table per business day titled "Referencia en Otras Divisas" (reference in other currencies). On October 28, 2026 it showed 60.00 dollars per petro, the same figure as on every date we reviewed since 2018. That table does not give the value in bolívares, and we found no rule that requires SAREN to use it.
Our own illustrative calculation, not official: 60 dollars times the BCV's official exchange rate with value date October 28, 2026 (Bs 888.1183 per dollar) gives about Bs 53,287 per PTR. No rule or official source says that SAREN applies this calculation, and each office may calculate differently. What counts is the amount on the payment form (PUB) that SAREN issues for your procedure.
Table of common fees in petros
| Procedure | SAREN amount | Cap in the law | If 1 PTR = 60 dollars (our calculation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poder (power of attorney) at a notaría (granting, revoking, renouncing or substituting it) | 0.02 PTR plus 0.10 PTR processing fee (Prov. 004, art. 5, nums. 5 and 1) | Up to 2 PTR for granting it and up to 1 PTR for processing (art. 86, nums. 5 and 1) | 7.20 dollars |
| Registering a poder, its substitution, revocation or renunciation | 0.40 PTR (Prov. 001, art. 5, num. 12) | Up to 2 PTR (art. 83, num. 14) | 24 dollars |
| Certificación de gravámenes (lien certificate) | 0.30 PTR for the first year and 0.02 PTR for each following year (Prov. 001, art. 5, num. 2) | Up to 1.5 PTR and 0.30 PTR (art. 83, num. 2) | 18 dollars plus 1.20 per year |
| Opción de compra-venta (purchase option agreement) at a notaría | 1 PTR (Prov. 004, art. 5, num. 18) | Up to 2 PTR (art. 86, num. 18) | 60 dollars |
| Registering the sale | Prov. 001 sets no amount of its own; the law's percentages apply | 0.50% up to 500 PTR; 1% from 501 to 1,000 PTR; 2% from 1,001 PTR (art. 83, num. 7) | 500 PTR is 30,000 dollars and 1,000 PTR, 60,000 |
| Certified copy at the Registro Público | 0.05 PTR for the first page and 0.01 PTR for each following page (Prov. 001, art. 5, num. 4) | Up to 0.20 PTR and 0.10 PTR (art. 83, num. 4) | 3 dollars plus 0.60 per page |
| Recording an open will | 1 PTR for the first page and 0.05 PTR for each following page (Prov. 001, art. 5, num. 17) | Up to 4 PTR and 1 PTR (art. 83, num. 20) | 60 dollars plus 3 per page |
| Closed will at the Registro | 5 PTR for recording it and for opening it (Prov. 001, art. 5, num. 17) | Up to 5 PTR for recording it (art. 83, num. 20) | 300 dollars |
| Opening a will at the notaría | 2 PTR; nothing if it only acknowledges filiation (Prov. 004, art. 5, num. 3) | Up to 5 PTR (art. 86, num. 3) | 120 dollars |
Details that change the calculation:
The lawyer's fee and the timbres fiscales (revenue stamps) are not SAREN fees; they are in how much a notaría costs. The total for a purchase is in closing costs.
How to check the calculation before paying
If the amount does not add up, consult a lawyer before signing.