18 October 2023

How to verify a notary is legitimate or not

If you need a notary, you should know how to tell if a notary is legitimate or not. Our useful guide can help you.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Please note: this blog was updated on 10 February 2026.

Notary services are very useful. They are required if you plan on going overseas and want to use certain documents, such as affidavits or powers of attorney. They can also be costly.

As a result, it is important to verify a notary to ensure they are qualified and provide accredited services. Otherwise, you will lose both your time and money to a potential fraudster.

You may not be able to trust everything you see online, as there are many fake sites pretending they provide notary services. We shall help you know how to verify a notary is legitimate, so you can stay safe.

What is a Notary Public?

Notaries are the oldest branch of the legal profession in the world.

A Notary Public is a qualified lawyer who specialises in the authentication of official documents and verification of identity of individuals. Notarisation is usually done for documents that are intended to be used overseas, or international legal matters.

They can also administer oaths and affirmations, certify documents, witness signatures, and authenticate documents for international use, among other things.

Notaries in the UK are appointed by the Court of Faculties of the Archbishop of Canterbury and are subject to regulation by the Master of the Faculties. They play a vital role in ensuring the integrity and authenticity of various legal and financial documents, especially in matters involving international business and legal transactions.

Notaries are similar to solicitors. However, solicitors can not authenticate documents like a notary can.

Who regulates notaries?

Checking with regulatory bodies is a useful way to verify a notary is legitimate.

Notary Publics are regulated by the Master of the Faculties in the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Notaries are also overseen by The Notaries Society, who are the representatives of all operating Notary Publics of England and Wales.

Clients can also complain to the Legal Ombudsman if they have any issues with the notary they have used.

All of these can be contacted if you have any issues. You can also contact the notary directly.

Finally, although not a way to directly verify a notary, many legitimate notaries will have their businesses registered on Companies House. Here, you can find businesses and see certain information, such as their finances, when they were incorporated, previous names, who their key people are, and more. Essentially, using this website can help you to see if a notary’s business is active, fully registered and real.

You can read more about our regulatory information on our dedicated webpage, where you can also find our Companies House number to see that we are a registered business.

How do I verify a notary by checking they are registered?

To verify a notary by checking they are registered with a regulatory body, you can use the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Faculty Office’s website to find a registered notary. You can also use the Notaries Society website to find all registered notaries in England and Wales.

For extra security, you can request a notary to share their practising certificate to prove they are registered. This document is provided by the Faculty Office, and is a useful way to verify a notary.

This way, you can avoid finding anyone pretending to offer notarisation services, and verify a notary.

Finally, another way to verify a notary as real is to request to see a notary’s practising certificate, which is only issued to notaries who have passed their tests and are active. When you begin using our services, you will be able to see the certificate of the notary assisting you. You can trust the services of a notary with a practising certificate.

Where can I see reviews of a Notary Public?

You can check that a notary provides an authentic service by looking at their reviews.

For example, we are verified on Trustpilot with a 4.8/5 star rating. This is from over 100 verified reviews.

Google reviews can also be an effective way to gauge a notary’s authenticity. Our head office in London has 4.8/5 stars from over 100 satisfied clients.

You could also ask the notary to provide a reference from a previous client. Authentic examples of past work can be a good way to verify a notary is legitimate.

How we can help you

As a legitimate notary, you can find all of our regulatory information on our regulation and insurance webpage. You can trust us to carry out your matter effectively and with efficiency.

Our companies is home to two fully registered and regulated notaries. Notary Public of England and Wales, Nathan Woodcock, is our founder and our travelling notary who takes appointments at our Manchester and Sheffield offices, as well as visits clients at places of their choice through our mobile notary service. This could be at home, your office, or somewhere else.

Meanwhile, Notary Public of England and Wales, Papia Kabir, is our notary dedicated to providing services to those in or near London. She operates out of our office in the prestigious Canary Wharf area of the city.

Get in touch today to discuss your needs with our friendly team and use the services of our expert notaries