Decree No. 280/2025/ND-CP: A step forward in promoting digital transformation in authentication.

Nghị định số 280/2025/NĐ-CP: Bước tiến thúc đẩy chuyển đổi số trong chứng thực- Ảnh 1. — The fact that people no longer need to submit or present documents, as integrated into VNeID, helps reduce paperwork and save time and costs. Photo: VGP/Kim Lien

To better understand the contents of Decree 280/2025/ND-CP, a reporter from the Government Online Newspaper had an interview with Mr. Le Xuan Hong, Director of the Department of Legal Assistance ( Ministry of Justice ), on this issue.

Increase the flexibility and initiative of those performing the authentication.

Sir, Decree No. 280/2025/ND-CP on authentication was recently issued by the Government on October 27, 2025. In your opinion, what are the key highlights of Decree No. 280/2025/ND-CP on authentication?

Mr. Le Xuan Hong: In order to promptly resolve difficulties and obstacles in authentication activities when operating a two-tiered local government system, ensuring smooth authentication operations and creating favorable conditions for citizens, organizations, and businesses, the Ministry of Justice has advised the Government to issue Decree No. 280/2025/ND-CP dated October 27, 2025, amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 23/2015/ND-CP on issuing copies from original records, authenticating copies from original documents, authenticating signatures, and authenticating contracts and transactions, as amended and supplemented by Decree No. 07/2025/ND-CP.

Some important new points of Decree No. 280/2025/ND-CP are as follows:

The regulations stipulate that the authority to certify documents at the commune level rests with the Chairman of the People's Committee (instead of the People's Committee as before), and also define the responsibilities of the Chairman of the People's Committee in directing and organizing the certification activities within their jurisdiction. Based on this, the scope of those authorized to perform certification is expanded to include individuals authorized or assigned by the Chairman of the People's Committee to carry out certification tasks as prescribed.

Amendments and additions to regulations aim to implement the "non-administrative boundary" policy when handling administrative procedures for citizens and businesses, such as: Not specifying administrative boundaries for the authentication of wills, authentication of documents rejecting inheritance, authentication of power of attorney documents related to the exercise of land and housing rights, etc.

Amendments and additions to regulations aim to reduce and simplify administrative procedures in authentication activities, such as: Reducing authentication procedures; not requiring applicants to submit or present original or copies of documents already integrated into VNeID when applicants have already presented corresponding information from VNeID; in cases where applicants request and the authentication service provider can access information and documents from the National Population Database or other databases as prescribed by law, the authentication service provider is responsible for accessing information and documents from these databases, without requiring applicants to present original, copies from the original register, or certified copies of the accessed information and documents; increasing the number of authentication procedures performed entirely online…

The regulations are amended to allow provincial People's Committees to consider transferring all or part of the work of certifying copies from original documents and certifying signatures to notary offices in communes where notary offices have been established, in order to reduce the workload of commune-level People's Committees.

How will the expansion of the scope of entities authorized or assigned to perform authentication tasks in this Decree affect the authentication process for citizens, sir?

Mr. Le Xuan Hong: Regarding the People's Committees at the commune level, Decree 23/2015/ND-CP stipulates that the authority to certify documents rests with the People's Committee at the commune level, and the certifying officer is the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level. This restricts the expansion of the entities authorized to perform certification at the commune level. This regulation is no longer appropriate given the implementation of a two-tiered local government system, with the overall workload and certification work in particular increasing significantly at the commune level (previously, certification was also performed at the Justice Department of the district-level People's Committee). This is one of the reasons leading to the overload in the certification process in some localities.

Decree No. 280/2025/ND-CP stipulates that the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level has the authority to direct and organize the implementation of authentication activities in the area; may delegate or assign the performance of authentication tasks, and the signing and use of seals when performing authentication shall be carried out in accordance with the law.

Accordingly, based on the provisions of Decree No. 280/2025/ND-CP, the Law on Organization of Local Government, and related documents, the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level may: Directly perform the authentication; Delegate authority to the head of a specialized agency, other administrative organization, or public service unit under the People's Committee at their level, or delegate authority to a civil servant under the People's Committee at their level; Assign the task of authentication to the Vice Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level, or the head of a specialized agency, other administrative organization, or public service unit under the People's Committee at the commune level may delegate the task to their deputy.

Thus, along with regulations on reducing and simplifying authentication procedures, this regulation reduces the workload and helps increase the flexibility and initiative of those performing authentication, thereby resolving authentication issues for citizens and businesses faster and more efficiently.

Helps reduce paperwork, saving time and costs.

The regulation stating that the certifying officer does not require the applicant to submit or present the original or copies of documents already integrated into VNeID when the applicant has already presented the corresponding information from VNeID is considered a major step forward in administrative procedure reform. What is your assessment of this regulation?

Mr. Le Xuan Hong: The fact that people no longer have to submit or present documents, now integrated into VNeID, helps reduce paperwork, save time and costs, and simultaneously improve accuracy and transparency in handling procedures. This is also an important step in promoting digital transformation in the field of authentication, moving towards a modern administration that better serves citizens and organizations.

Sir, after the Decree is issued, how will the Ministry of Justice implement it to ensure uniformity and effectiveness nationwide?

Mr. Le Xuan Hong: Decree No. 280/2025/ND-CP takes effect from November 1, 2025. To ensure the unified and effective implementation of the Decree, the Ministry of Justice is currently urgently carrying out a number of tasks such as: developing implementation plans/documents; disseminating the content of the Decree to People's Committees at all levels, especially commune-level People's Committees, and relevant agencies and organizations;

In addition, it is necessary to strengthen communication efforts to ensure that the people and society understand and implement the regulations correctly; organize meetings, training sessions, and guidance for agencies and organizations, especially the People's Committees at the commune level, to ensure correct and consistent implementation; and during the implementation process, organize inspections and corrective measures…

In reality, some localities still experience overcrowding when people come to have documents notarized. So, in your opinion, what solutions are needed to overcome this situation in the future?

Mr. Le Xuan Hong: In the past period, the Ministry of Justice has been implementing many solutions to reduce the workload and bottlenecks in handling administrative procedures at People's Committees at all levels regarding judicial work in general and notarization in particular. In the future, in my opinion, to reduce the workload and expedite notarization procedures for citizens and businesses, it is necessary to focus on the timely and effective implementation of Government Decree No. 280/2025/ND-CP;

Continue researching and reviewing the decentralization and delegation of authority for handling administrative procedures to localities; reduce administrative procedures; utilize databases and technological applications to eliminate the need for paper documents during authentication, and promote online implementation.

At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen training, professional development, and guidance to improve the capacity of civil servants working in authentication.

Promote the socialization of authentication work, thereby transferring the authentication of copies from original documents and signature authentication to notary offices in communes where at least one notary office is operating stably and effectively;

In addition, it is necessary to thoroughly explain and disseminate information so that agencies, organizations, and the public understand and correctly implement regulations on authentication and the procedures related to authentication. Accordingly, authentication should not be required for documents that are not legally mandated for authentication when carrying out related procedures.

Increase the flexibility and initiative of those performing the authentication.

Helps reduce paperwork, saving time and costs.

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