The Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Private Enforcement Officers”, which entered into force on 01 January 2026, has made it possible for private enforcement officers to operate in our country.
Who is a Private Enforcement Officer?
A private enforcement officer is an individual who has obtained a certificate to carry out the execution of decisions of courts and other bodies. A private enforcement officer has the status of a compulsory enforcement body, carries out activities professionally, and is not considered a representative of state power.
A private enforcement officer is independent in the performance of their professional duties and is subject only to the law.
What are the Requirements to Become a Private Enforcement Officer?
A citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan holding a higher education degree may become a private enforcement officer.
Who Cannot Become a Private Enforcement Officer?
persons recognized by a court as legally incapacitated or having limited legal capacity;
persons subject to a legally effective court decision on the application of compulsory medical measures;
persons previously convicted of a crime;
persons unable to fulfill court decisions regarding monetary obligations;
military personnel who have been discharged from military service due to incompatibility with service, or who have been deprived of military rank by a court decision or disciplinary order within the last 5 (five) years due to gross misconduct in the performance of their duties or acts incompatible with service;
persons dismissed from law enforcement agencies for gross misconduct in the performance of their duties, as well as persons whose judicial appointment, civil service (including special forms of civil service), legal practice, notarial activities, or private enforcement officer activities have been terminated as a disciplinary measure;
persons holding dual citizenship or having obligations to other states;
religious officials;
persons deemed unable to perform the duties of a private enforcement officer due to physical or mental health conditions, based on a medical opinion;
persons who have reached the age of 65.
How is the Position of Private Enforcement Officer Filled?
The position of private enforcement officer is filled on a competitive basis. The competition consists of test examination and interview stages. Applicants wishing to become a private enforcement officer must complete at least 3 (three) months of mandatory initial training and participate in an internship.
Applicants wishing to become a private enforcement officer apply to the Competition Commission for Private Enforcement Officers. In this regard, the Commission publishes an announcement on the official websites of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Chamber of Private Enforcement Officers, as well as in other media. The application procedure is explained in detail in the announcement.
Persons wishing to be appointed to the position of private enforcement officer and who meet the requirements set out in Article 7 of the Law"On Special Enforcement Officers" may apply to participate in the competition electronically or submit the relevant application form to the Competition Commission in hard copy. The test examination is conducted by the State Examination Center on a paid basis.
Applicants who successfully pass the test examination stage of the competition and wish to participate in the interview stage must submit to the Competition Commission for Private Enforcement Officers the documents specified in paragraph 2.3 of the “Rules for Announcing the Competition for the Position of Private Enforcement Officer, Receiving Applications and Considering Them”.
Who May Be Exempted from the Stages of the Competition?
Persons who have served for at least 3 (three) years in positions carrying special ranks within the body directly supervising the activities of enforcement officers of the Ministry of Justice, or as state enforcement officers, shall be exempt from the test examination, mandatory initial training, and internship, except for office management and accounting training.
How Do Candidates Advance to the Next Stage Based on the Competition Results?
According to paragraph 3.1 of the “Rules for Conducting the Competition, as well as the Initial Mandatory Training and Internship for Persons Wishing to Become Private Enforcement Officers,” candidates are ranked based on the total score obtained in the competition. If two or more candidates obtain the same number of points, preference shall be given to candidates who hold consecutive academic degrees, have completed a higher level of education, and, where the level of education is the same, have graduated from an educational institution with honors or possess knowledge of a foreign language. Based on this ranking, candidates are admitted to the initial mandatory training and internship in accordance with the number of available vacancies for the positions of private enforcement officer. Other candidates shall be placed on a reserve list for a period of 2 (two) years and are involved in the initial mandatory training and internship if new vacancies arise during that period.
Additional information on the nature of the profession and the powers of private enforcement officers can be found by clicking on the link in the “Private Enforcement Officers” section.
Candidates participating in the competition for the position of private enforcement officer may familiarize themselves with the list of normative legal acts used in preparing the examination questions, sample test questions, relevant rules, and other information about the competition in the “Candidate Handbook”.
