Statutory Declaration

A statutory declaration is a formal statement you make to affirm the truth of something. It is typically used in legal contexts where there is no alternative evidence. The declaration must be made before a person authorised to administer oaths, such as a solicitor or notary public.

You may need to produce a statutory declaration in the following circumstances:

• You wish to legally adopt a new name.
• You are transgender or non-binary and require a statement of gender recognition.
• You do not have documents evidencing your nationality, marital status or another aspect of your identity.
• You work in an institution dealing with finances relating to estates.
• You need to make a significant company statement that may bear relevance in legal contexts.

A statutory declaration is similar to an affidavit but does not involve the swearing of an oath.

The witness to your statutory declaration must have the authority to administer oaths and be independent of the matter in question. 

If you are represented by a solicitor, they cannot sign the declaration. However, you can visit a notary public like Notary.co.uk to have a document witnessed.

The process for legalising your Statutory Declaration is straightforward and includes the following steps:

1. Prepare your declaration: Write your Statutory Declaration in straightforward language using the template provided by the UK Government.
2. Visit a Notary Public: Either book an appointment or drop into our office in London Victoria, Canary Wharf, or Surrey.
3. Notarisation: One of our notaries will witness the signature on the declaration.
4. Legalisation for use abroad: If you need to use your Statutory Declaration overseas, we will provide further legalisation. 

Visit one of our offices or contact us to arrange the notarisation and/or legalisation of your Statutory Declaration.