Who appoints a UK Notary?

A UK Notary is a public officer appointed by the Faculty Office to serve the public in non-contentious legal matters.

What does a UK Notary actually do?

UK Notaries Public administer sworn oaths and affirmations.  A UK Notary will also take affidavits and statutory declarations.  Further, a UK Notary can legalise certain documents usually concerned with wills, deeds, powers-of-attorney, and foreign and international business.

Essentially, if a client is based in, say, Russia, and needs to process a document for use in their home country.  Instead of flying to the United Kingdom with the document themselves, they can arrange for a Notary to complete the legalisation process on their behalf.

Can my UK Notary provide Apostille services?

Certainly.  Apostille is a French term meaning ‘certification’.  It is used to refer to the legalisation of documents for international recognition under the terms of the 1961 Hague Convention.

Where can I find a UK Notary?

Historically, a scrivener notary was a UK notary public permitted to practice in the City of London and within a three mile radius of the city walls.  In modern times a UK Notary is more easily found and there are approximately 900 people registered as a UK Notary.  Simply type UK Notary into an internet search engine to bring up a range of notary options.

Is it important to use a local Notary?

It is not essential that you retain the service of local Notary.  In many case however, a UK Notary in London who enjoys a strong working relationship with various Embassies and Consulates can legalise documents more swiftly than a UK notary working from a regional office.

Will my UK Notary be governed by a regulatory body?

Yes.  Every Notary Public is governed by the Faculty office.  Many Notaries are also members of the Notary Society.

For further details on UK Notary services, please contact Matthew through the usual channels.