Our Notary Public Andrew Mackenzie is very experienced and can assist you with all your notary needs.

A notary has been likened to "an International Justice of the Peace" because, almost exclusively, the work of a notary involves documentation required by a client for overseas use. By comparison, documentation for use within Australia can usually be dealt with by a qualified lawyer.

The most common functions or tasks of notaries within Australia tend to be:

• Authenticating official, Government and personal documents and information for use overseas Witnessing signatures of individuals to documents and authenticating identity
• Witnessing Powers of Attorney for use overseas, including from time to time, preparing them
• Certifying true copies of documents for use overseas
• For corporations and business, witnessing documents and authenticating status and transactions
• Dealing with documentation for land, property and deceased estates overseas

In many instances the document/s to be sent overseas may require the signature and seal of the notary to be legalised (certified as correct) by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The Apostille is a statement identifying the signature of the notary and comprises a large stamp affixed to the notary's signed document.

If you have the need to see a notary, The Society provides these hints:

1.    DO NOT EXPECT TO SEE A NOTARY WITHOUT FIRST MAKING AN APPOINTMENT;
2.    You will need to bring good evidence of identity eg. a current and valid Passport or Driver's Licence that will confirm your current address;
3.    The notary may be able to give you over the telephone an idea of the fee to be charged, but until the notary sees the document/s and matter in hand, it is often not possible to quote accurately;
4.    If the document is not in English you need to establish whether the notary might require a translation be obtained first;
5.    The notary will need to be satisfied that you understand the document you are signing - if you do not understand the contents, you may need legal advice, either obtained first before the visit, or ask the notary to provide this.
6.    Take with you to show the notary the instructions you may have received from overseas so that the notary can try to ensure that your requirements for overseas are satisfied at the FIRST visit;
7.    If you are able to send a copy of the required document to the notary before your visit this will save time and probably expense.

For further information on what is a notary public, what functions they perform, and their costs we suggest you visit The Society of Notaries of NSW Inc website at www.notarynsw.org.au