What is a Notary Public?

A Notary Public is an Australian lawyer with considerable legal experience who is authorised to authenticate a wide range of legal documents which will be valid both in Australia and overseas.

Opal Legal’s Principal Lawyer – Namrata Singh is a Notary Public.

What are the legal services that only a Notary Public can provide?

There are certain Australian and overseas legal documents that only a Notary Public is authorised to execute or authenticate. The range of services a Notary Public can provide include:

• executing or authenticating documents or instruments to be presented to public or private bodies for use overseas;

• certifying legal documents such a Powers of Attorneys, wills and other legal documents so that they may be used overseas;

• witnessing Powers of Attorney so that they may be used overseas; and

• witnessing execution of documents for companies; • Dealing with documents for land, property and deceased estates overseas.

What are the qualifications of a Notary Public?

The Supreme Court of New South Wales appoints Notaries Public under the Public Notaries Act 1997. http://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/pna1997171/

To be appointed as a Notary Public, the applicant:

• must have been a lawyer for at least 5 years;

• must complete the Notarial Practice Course;

• be permitted to practice within New South Wales;

• must maintain their registration on the Roll of Public Notaries.

How much does a Notary Public charge?

The Society of Notaries of New South Wales Inc provides a scale of recommended fees https://notarynsw.org.au/recommended-fees/ that a Notary Public may charge.

However, individual notaries will provide you with a quotation of their fees which may be less or more than the scale fees.