In the UK, a Notary Public is a qualified lawyer and a member of the oldest branch of the legal profession.

Their primary role is to authenticate and certify documents for international use.

They hold an official seal and are often essential for document legalisation in the UK.

While Notaries Public can perform certain domestic legal functions, their main focus is on preparing UK documents for use in foreign jurisdictions.

What does a UK notary public do?

Here’s a summary of their key functions in the context of document legalisation:

  • Verifying identity: A core function of a Notary Public is to verify the identity of individuals signing documents. They check identification documents (such as passports and driving licences) to ensure the signatory is genuine, preventing fraud and forgery.

  • Witnessing signatures: The Notary Public witnesses the individual signing the document in their presence. This provides strong evidence that the signature is genuine.

  • Certifying copies: Notaries can certify copies of original documents as true and accurate. This is essential for many documents that need to be apostilled or legalised, as the FCDO often will not apostille original documents (e.g., passports, driving licences) and always requires a solicitor/notary certification for an e-Apostille

  • Administering oaths and affirmations: For documents such as affidavits or statutory declarations, the Notary Public administers the oath or affirmation, ensuring the signatory understands they are swearing to the truthfulness of the document’s contents.

  • Notarising documents for international use: By affixing their signature and official seal to a document (or a certified copy), the Notary Public provides an internationally recognised level of authentication.The FCDO can then apostille the Notary Public’s signature and seal, making the document valid for use in countries adhering to the Hague Convention.

    For countries not party to the Hague Convention, the notarised document (bearing the FCDO apostille) can then be presented to the relevant embassy for further legalisation.

  • Electronic signatures for e-Apostilles: For e-Apostilles, the notary public will use a qualified electronic signature.

  • Preparing notarial certificates: Notaries often attach a “notarial certificate” to the document. This certificate details the act of notarisation (e.g., witnessing a signature, certifying a copy), the date, the Notary’s details, and their official seal.

Who regulates notaries public in the UK?

In England and Wales, the authority charged with regulating notaries is the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

In Scotland and Northern Ireland, the regulators are the Law Society of Scotland and the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, respectively.

While England and Wales allow for direct entry into the notarial profession, Scotland and Northern Ireland require individuals to qualify as solicitors first.

Why are notaries important for apostilles and legalisation?

The FCDO Legalisation Office often apostilles documents with the signature and seal of a UK public official.

A Notary Public (or a Solicitor) is a recognised UK public official. Therefore, by notarising a document, they make it eligible for an apostille. The apostille verifies the Notary’s credentials, not necessarily the original document’s content.

How much does a notary public cost?

A notary must adhere to statutory fee scales when acting as a Commissioner for Oaths. The statutory fees are £5.00 for witnessing a declaration, affirmation, or affidavit, and £2.00 per exhibit.

However, for other professional services, notaries are free to set their own rates. As such, the costs of notarial acts vary widely depending on:

  • The office

  • Location (London notaries cost more)

  • The document (complex commercial/legal documents cost more)

Because notaries are important for apostilles and legalisation, we maintain relationships with a vetted network of London notaries to ensure predictable prices for our clients.

Generally, here’s how much you can expect various notarial acts to cost when you use our document legalisation services:

  • In-person notarisation

    • Personal documents from £136
    • Business documents from £156

  • Mobile notary services

    • Starting from £136
    • + Travel fees: £25 per mile

  • Remote video notarisation

    • (Personal) £150.00
    • (Business) £165.00

  • E-notarisations

    • Starting from £136

  • Notarisation and apostille service

    • Starting from £210

  • Courier or postage charges

    • DHL UK from £20
    • Royal Mail from £12

Want to know how much it will cost to notarise and apostille your specific document(s)?

Use our free apostille price calculator to get a full breakdown of fees, depending on your document type and preferred service speed.

What should I expect at a UK notary public appointment?

The primary role of a notary is to verify your identity and confirm that you fully understand the legal consequences of signing the document.

Therefore, you need to bring the following with you to the appointment:

  • Proof of identity, such as a passport or a UK photo driving license.

  • Proof of address document, such as a bank statement or utility bill.

The actual notarial act typically unfolds as follows:

  • The notary confirms you are of sound mind and that you’re signing the document out of your own free will.

  • The notary discusses the document with you to ensure you understand its contents and the relevant legal consequences.

  • The notary witnesses you physically sign the document.

  • The notary concludes the process by signing and stamping the document.

You’ll get a notarial certificate detailing the steps the notary took to execute the notarial act.

Also, UK notaries are required by law to keep a record of their acts. Therefore, expect the notary to keep copies of your ID and the notarised document.

How to find a notary public in the UK?

You can find notaries near you online, and confirm if they are entitled to practice by searching their name on the regulator’s website.

However, for expedited handling and transparent pricing, we recommend connecting with our vetted network of London notaries. It is especially valuable for documents intended for international use, where we provide an end-to-end solution as follows:

  • Expert coordination: We coordinate the notarisation process to ensure your document is notarised quickly and correctly.

  • Document legalisation service: We facilitate FCDO apostilles in 24 hours (Express Service) or 3-4 days (Standard Service), as well as embassy attestation for non-Hague Convention countries.

Ready to experience our end-to-end document legalisation service?

Request a custom quote today by telling us which document you have, where it is going, and when you need it back.