Notary publics, or notaries public, are lawyers appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Court of Faculties. They primarily focus on the certification and authentication of capacity, authority, and signatures regarding documents to be used abroad. Not all solicitors are notaries, so let’s look at their role in more detail.

Notaries public are regulated by the Master of Faculties and follow similar rules to all solicitors. When offering notary services London or elsewhere, professionals must have fidelity cover To protect the public and their clients and must be fully insured.

Notary publics working for companies such as https://bridgelawsolicitors.co.uk/notary-services-for-individuals/london must always abide by strict conduct and discipline regulations, including keeping their clients’ funds separate from their own. Notaries public must also renew their certificates to practise each year.

When you might need a notary public

Notaries public primarily authenticate and certify signatures, capacity, and authority. They are tasked with attesting the authenticity of legal documents and deeds for use abroad, which is more than just checking copies against the originals. Attested documents will contain the notary’s seal and are trusted by courts and other official bodies abroad to be acceptable without further checks being needed. Notaries public can offer legal advice and can deal with bills of exchange and powers of attorney.

They can also carry out general legal practice, including probate and conveyancing, but cannot conduct court proceedings. They may also exercise the Commissioner of Oaths’ powers and the majority work as solicitors; however, this is not the case for Scrivener notaries. Solicitors cannot complete notarial acts unless they are professional notaries.

Regulations applying to public notaries

Only notaries public can carry out notarial activities in accordance with the Legal Services Act 2007. This also allows them to act as a Commissioner for Oaths and to undertake probate and reserved instrument activities.

The title of notary public or notary is protected, and only individuals who are registered and qualified are allowed to call themselves this. Scrivener notaries have extra qualifications and will be able to communicate in a minimum of two foreign languages.