Notaries and notarisation

Notaries

A notary is a qualified, regulated and insured lawyer who must adhere to rules and regulations governing their practice, conduct, record-keeping and accounting. Notaries are appointed by the Court of Faculties of the Archbishop of Canterbury and are regulated by the Faculty Office of the Court of Faculties for the purposes of the Legal Services Act 2007.

The Notaries Society is the representative society for Notaries Public practising in England and Wales.

The function of a notary is to:

•
draw, attest, verify, certify and authenticate documents
•
verify facts and events
•
note or certify transactions

Notaries may also conduct general legal practice and administer oaths.

There are three types of notaries practising within England and Wales:

•
general notaries—usually referred to as a notary public or notary
•
scrivener notaries—who have a proficiency in two or more foreign languages and the law of another European country
•
ecclesiastical notaries—who

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