British Notaries play a vital role in the legal landscape in the United Kingdom.
Whether you’re an individual preparing a power of attorney or a business needing to authenticate corporate resolutions, a British notary ensures your notarised document meet international legal standards. In this guide, we’ll explore the services provided by notaries public the in the UK, how notary services differ from solicitor services and how to access the notarial profession in London.
Include internal link to: Notary vs Solicitor page
Types of documents British Notaries deal with
Notaries are qualified lawyers who are used to helping with these types of documents as examples:
- Powers of attorney
- Certified copy passport
- Affidavits and Statutory Declarations
- Certify Degree
- Company resolutions
- Commissioner for Oaths tasks
- Business documents
- Companies House documents
- Apostille services (Apostilles are issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth, Development Office in line with the Hague Convention)
- Legalisation services
All notarial acts are recorded in the notary’s protocol register so that if ever call upon to do so, the notary can verify the notarial act that was produced on any given day in the past.
Who Regulates British Notaries?
The notarial profession is regulated by the Court of Faculties which is headed up by the Master of the Faculties, which is all in the Faculty Office division of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Court of Faculties issues practising certificates regulates the disiplinary side of things, produces rules and formulates training (the Notarial Practice Course)
There are two representative bodies for Notaries. the Notaries Society regulate the vast majority of general notaries whilst the Society for Scrivener Notaries regulate about 30 notaries who form a livery company in the City of London.
What Types of Clients Use British Notaries?
There is a wide and diverse range of clients who need notaries in the UK:
- Private individuals (e.g., parental consent, POA, certify degree)
- Businesses (e.g., company docs for overseas)
- Law firms who need legal documents notarised
- Companies who often need documents in foreign languages notarised
- Private individuals visiting the UK (often from the United States)
How to Use a Public Notary in London
If you’re based in London, accessing notarial services is relatively straight forward.
You’ll need to book an appointment. Most notarial matters are new to clients so it’s always a good idea to get the notaries phone number, and give them a ring to explain your needs.
The notary will tell you what you need to bring to your appointment, these are almost always a pre-requisite.
You will need to bring ID documents (passport and proof of address) to your appointment and the document you have been asked to get notarised.
We have a Mobile Notary Service so if you are tight for time or unable to travel, we can come to you.
Same-day service near Bond Street & Oxford Circus
