Frequently asked questions
Notary Public offers a full range of services. Please refer to the questions below for guidance.
1. What to bring for the first meeting?
You must bring with you the following documents for each party when you visit the notary:
- Passport with signature page (unexpired)
- Photocard driving licence (unexpired)
- Bank statement, Council Tax bill or utility bill within the last three months
- Any other relevant original documents
If you are unable to produce these, please let us know. We may not be able to act for you where ID and anti-money laundering (AML) requirements are unsatisfactory.
The names and addresses of the persons must match those on the documents. Documents may be verified with UV light, and we reserve the right to undertake extra third-party ID and AML checks for which additional fees may apply.
2. What are the notary fees/rates?
There is a minimum fee of £220. Fees are calculated at the hourly rate of £350 unless specified otherwise and no VAT is payable. Please see the fees page.
Fee review. If a matter becomes protracted, complicated, urgent, or requires more work than originally anticipated, I reserve the right to review any fee estimate or fixed fee. Any additional work may be charged at my hourly rate, plus any applicable disbursements. I will notify you as soon as reasonably possible if this becomes necessary.
3. Do you send overseas?
Yes. We can arrange for documents to be sent internationally. Please contact us in advance for fees.
4. What is Apostille / FCDO Legalisation?
This is where the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) affixes an apostille to the document. In relation to a notarised document, the notary authenticates the document, then it is sent to the FCDO, which verifies the seal or signature of the notary. Whether FCDO legalisation is required will be specified by the party who requested the document in the receiving jurisdiction. If there is any doubt, we recommend that you get FCDO legalisation.
5. What is Consular Legalisation or Attestation?
Consular legalisation or attestation is where the authenticity of the document, seal or signature affixed to a notarial act or other document is verified by an embassy or high commission of the country where the document is to be received. This usually takes place after the notarised document receives the FCDO apostille.
6. Do you offer electronic notarisation?
Electronic notarisation may be possible in limited cases where the receiving party confirms that it will accept electronically signed documents and where an e-Apostille is appropriate. Many recipients still require paper documents, so please check before proceeding.
Birth, death, marriage or civil partnership certificate
You cannot usually notarise a UK birth certificate directly as it is protected by Crown copyright. Crown copyright is a form of intellectual property right that applies to materials created by UK civil servants, ministers and government departments/agencies, which in turn restricts documents from being copied.
Instead, use the original certificate, or if lost, obtain an official copy of the certificate from the General Register Office (GRO) and get it apostilled by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Legalisation Office for use abroad.
In some cases, the foreign recipient may require a notarised certificate in addition to the FCDO-issued apostilled document. In such cases, instruct the notary to handle the entire process: from verifying the individual's ID and apostilling the birth certificate, to obtaining FCDO verification, and finally issuing a notarial certificate annexed to the FCDO-issued apostilled document.
Other documents where Crown copyright may apply include GRO certificates, DBS certificates, ACRO Criminal Records Office certificates and other UK government documents.
Academic Certificates and Transcripts
Notarising academic certificates and transcripts involves several steps, including contacting the awarding body or their agent to verify the document's authenticity.
Usual steps for legalising a certificate or transcript
- Contact us. Answer preliminary questions about the awarding body, your ID, postage and requirements. We will then send you a quote.
- Onboarding. Send two forms of ID and proof of address. If we cannot access the original documents, third-party ID and AML checks may be needed for an additional fee.
- Notarisation. We will contact the awarding body to verify authenticity. Processing times and fees vary. We must see the original document before notarising it.
- FCDO Legalisation/Apostille. If requested, we can arrange for the notarised document to be apostilled by the FCDO Legalisation Office via our agent.
- Consular Legalisation/Attestation. If required, the notarised and apostilled document can be sent to the consulate for attestation.
- Delivery. The final document can be collected from us or delivered to a UK address or another country.
Please provide the following so we can advise next steps and costs
- Two forms of ID and proof of address.
- A copy of the degree certificate and full transcript.
- Confirmation that you can provide the original certificate and full transcripts where required.
- The name and full address of the person or organisation requesting the notarised certificate.
- Confirmation of exactly what the recipient needs, including whether they need the degree certificate, transcript or both; whether documents should be bundled or separate; whether notarisation, FCDO apostille and/or consular legalisation is needed; and whether the original document or a certified copy should be notarised.
Will and estate management
Wills cannot be notarised or authenticated in most cases. However, once probate has been obtained, a notary can confirm the position at the probate office and provide a copy of the will lodged at the probate office. Not all probate records have a will.