18 October 2023

How to tell if a notary service 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: 3 minutes

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 ensure you are using the services of a qualified and accredited notary. 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?

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.

You can read more about our regulatory information on our dedicated webpage.

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

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 to notaries by the Faculty Office.

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

We do not limit our services to just one area or office. We offer a mobile notary service where you arrange an appointment to meet anywhere in England that suits you.

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.