The Notaries Society is the representative society for the 770 or so Notaries Public practising in England and Wales. From this page you will find various topics of interest to members of the profession and the public alike.
A Notary is a qualified lawyer - a member of the oldest branch of the legal profession in the United Kingdom. Notaries are appointed by the Court of Faculties of the Archbishop of Canterbury and are subject to regulation by the Master of the Faculties. The rules which affect Notaries are very similar to the rules which affect Solicitors. They must be fully insured and maintain fidelity cover for the protection of their clients and the public. They must keep clients' money separately from their own and comply with stringent practice rules and rules relating to conduct and discipline. Notaries have to renew their practising certificates every year and can only do so if they have complied with the rules.
Documents which require a notary are many and include:
Prepare and authenticate powers of attorney for use overseas
Deal with purchase or sale of land and property abroad
Authenticate documents for immigration or emigration purposes, or to apply to marry or to work abroad, including authentication of professional and educational qualifications and preparation of capacity to marry via statutory declaration or oath
Authenticate company and business documents and transactions for foreign contracts or the formation of foreign subsidiary companies
Deal with documents relating to foreign wills and estate administration
Notaries represent the oldest and smallest branch of the legal profession in England & Wales. (Notaries in Scotland are regulated separately like the other Scottish legal professions). Some legal work is reserved to the various legal professions. The Legal Services Act 2007 lists these as:
Qualification as a notary is regulated by the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury under the direction of the Master of the Faculties. Details of the Faculty Office and all the Rules governing the qualification and admission of notaries can be found at their website www.facultyoffice.org.uk. The main regulations are contained in the Notaries (Qualification) Rules 2013.
The Notaries Society does not govern the rules nor control the entry of notaries to the profession. It is pleased to advise generally. All specific queries concerning qualification or entry to the Notarial Practice Course must be made directly to the Faculty Office.
Copyright 2024 The Notaries SocietyThe Notaries Society is a Company limited by Guarantee, registered in England and Wales under Company Number 93715. The registered office is Conker Cottage, High Street, Haversham, MK19 7DT
