Notary Public services for individuals

Notarial services for personal documents

Typically, if you need our notarial services you will have been told to get something “notarised” by a foreign lawyer or public authority. Our role is to ensure that:

• you understand what it is you are being asked to do; and
• to authenticate who you are and what is said in the document.

We are not a rubber-stamping exercise and our careful authentication is the key to our services and enables foreign lawyers to trust that anything that has been notarised in this country can be relied upon.

What is a Notary Public?

Documents to be used overseas often need to be prepared or certified by a Notary Public. A Notary Public is internationally recognised and authorised to prepare and certify the signing of many different types of document.

Clarke Willmott Notaries can advise you on whether your document only requires notarising to be valid or whether it also needs an apostille from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to be legal.

Our notary services

Clarke Willmott can deal with a wide range of personal documents for foreign use including:

• Preparation and execution of powers of attorney
• Certifying documents for use abroad
• Helping with paperwork for getting married or working abroad
• Overseas adoptions
• Visa applications
• Bank documents
• Certified copies of passports and other documents
• Certification of academic documents
• Lost passports and other documents

This list is not exhaustive. If you have a document that may need to be notarised, please get in touch on 0800 652 8025.

Often as well as us notarising the document it will also need to have an apostille attached (essentially a certificate by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office that our seal and signature are the genuine seal and signature of a notary). Depending on the country the document may also need to be legalised by the consulate of that country as well. We can arrange all of that for you.

Our fees

Our fees are generally calculated by reference to the time spent but, ordinarily, we will provide you with a quote for the provision of our services before starting work.

Insurance

The notarial practice is insured through the policy of professional indemnity maintained by Clarke Willmott LLP and provides cover of £3 million.

Complaints

In the unlikely event you may have concerns about our service please raise it with us in the first instance. Should we not be able to resolve it the Notaries Society provides a complaints resolution service. Details will be provided upon our instruction.

Clarke Willmott Notaries

Owen Williams one of our partners at Clarke Willmott Solicitors also holds the office of Notary Public, which is regulated through the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury. He performs notary services for private individuals and businesses, through Clarke Willmott Notaries – a separate practice affiliated to Clarke Willmott.

Contact a Clarke Willmott Notary Public today

Owen operates from Clarke Willmott’s offices in Southampton and London. With a little notice they can also perform Notary Public duties at our offices in Bristol and Birmingham. Additionally we are able to service the Newbury area.

Simply call 0800 652 8025 to discuss your requirements or get in touch online.