The Notarisation Process

We notarise documents and have been doing so for a long time. Whether you’re a private individual or business we can help.

All our notaries are public officials and qualified lawyers, regulated through the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury. We are authorised to practice throughout England and Wales.

Typically we are asked to certify the authenticity of documents and signatures for use abroad. Our notaries can advise on the best way to handle your request and provide a notarial certification that meets your needs.

To see if we can notarise your document, visit our Documents we notarise section for more information.

If you are business and would like to establish a regular working relationship, visit our Corporate Clients section.

Why do I need a notary?

A notarial certification is amongst the highest level of certification you can receive from a lawyer or public official. This is in part due to the additional training and expertise required of notaries. When a notarised document is received abroad, it can provide greater re-assurance to the recipient that the correct authentication has been carried out.

For most transactions concerning the UK only, a notarial certification is not required and a solicitor or commissioner for oaths certification will be fine instead. We can provide commissioner for oaths certifications in certain circumstances on request.

The process

The notarisation process will depend on different factors such as what the document is and if it needs to signed in any particular way.

The first step would be to call us on 020 7630 1777 or email info@notary.co.uk. We will review your request, perhaps ask to see scans of the documents you need help with, and advise on the best course of action. Once finalised we will provide you with a quote and schedule an appointment if needed.

We hold appointments across our offices in London. We offer both an appointment and walk-in service from our Victoria office, and an appointment only service from our Canary Wharf branch. In addition, we can come and see you at your home, office, or any other location. For more information about visits, see our Notary Visits page.

At the appointment, we will ask you to complete our Client Registration Form, and we will conduct any necessary ID requirement checks. Our ID requirements section has more information on what you may need to bring.

Next we will notarise your documents whilst you wait. Appointments typically take between 15-30 minutes. Finally, we will take payment, provide you with your notarised documents, and email you a scan for your records.

If you are using our Apostille or Consular legalisation services, you will leave your documents with us and we will notify you once those services has been completed.

Check your document

We notarise many types of documents and can provide different types of certification to meet your needs.

The most popular documents we see are powers of attorney, passports, educational certificates and Companies House documentation. However, there are many other types we see regularly and are familiar with.

If your document is not listed and you are unsure if we can help, email us at info@notary.co.uk and we will be happy to confirm.

Become a corporate client

A big part of our business is helping companies with their notarial and legalisation needs. We have a large and diverse client base of corporate entities from multinational and FTSE 100 companies to small and medium sized start-ups and charities.

Often company business can mean working to tight deadlines and solving logistical headaches. To tackle this we offer a package that can streamline the process. We find it works, and our corporate clients commonly tell us they love the ease of using us and how we make the process simple.

Contact us at info@notary.co.uk to register a corporate account and enjoy the following benefits:

Free initial visit to your offices
Free collection and return of documents within central London
Same day turnaround times for notarisation and legalisation
Courier your documents abroad directly from our office
Bespoke invoicing arrangements available

FAQS

Can you notarise foreign documents?

Yes, in many cases we can notarise documents issued outside of the UK.
Can you notarise documents in foreign languages?

If you are signing a document in a foreign language, we can witness your signature on the document, however we will need to be satisfied that you understand what you are signing. Depending on what we are required to certify, we may require additional information including a translation of the document.
Can we confirm the authenticity of a translation?

We cannot confirm the authenticity of a translation which we do not understand and/or have not translated. Translated documents should be accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by the translator. We can then verify with the translator to notarise the certificate.
Does a notarised document have an expiry date?

Any notarisation we issue does not expire. However, the authority you are presenting the notarised document to may implement their own time limit on how long the notarised document is valid for.
Can you notarise an electronic signature?

Yes, we have implemented procedures to verify electronic signatures. Whilst electronic signatures are becoming increasingly accepted, they are still not widely accepted and we recommend checking with whoever is asking you for the document as to whether they will accept them.

Some execution methods, such as where we are required to act as a witness, cannot be done electronically.
Do I need to be physically present?

Not always. If we need to witness your signature you will need to be physically present. If however you need certified copies of documents, this can be done remotely.

Notarisation

Providing Our Exceptional Notarial Service to Meet Your Needs