A Notary Public is a qualified legal professional who verifies and certifies documents for use internationally. The role is distinct from that of a solicitor (although many Notaries are also qualified solicitors). You can read more about who we are, and what we do, on the website of The Notaries Society (the representative society for Notaries in England and Wales).
Not always – some matters can be resolved without a face-to-face meeting (for example, verification of ACRO certificates, or education documents like degree certificates and transcripts).
Usually however, it will be necessary for us to meet. I offer appointments at short notice, and evening and weekend appointments are also regularly available.
I’m based at Blake House, a beautifully restored Georgian building on Blake Street, in the centre of York. The office is around a ten minute walk from the rail station, or around a five minute walk from the nearest Park & Ride bus service. There’s also public car parking available nearby.
Yes. I offer mobile notarial services across York and the wider Yorkshire region. I make an additional charge to cover my travel time and costs, but I will set this out clearly for you in a full breakdown of fees before we proceed.
Although there are always some common themes, requirements vary depending on the task you need assistance with. That’s why the first stage is always to get in touch to tell me what you’ve been asked to produce. Once it’s clear what you need, I will provide you with a full breakdown of costs, before you make any commitment. If you’re happy to go ahead, in most cases we will then arrange an appointment, where I will check your identification documents and complete the notarial process. Following the appointment, I will provide you with your hard copy notarised documents, as well as a scanned copy if you wish. If you also want me to arrange legalisation / apostille, I will deal with that for you and arrange for the document to be couriered back to you, or to the overseas recipient of your choice.
If your notarisation can be dealt with remotely, or you only need assistance with arranging legalisation / apostille, the process is simpler as no appointment will be needed. I will advise you of the necessary steps and provide a breakdown of costs before proceeding.
For an in-person meeting, if I have all the necessary information from the outset, I can usually provide an appointment within 48 hours of first contact. I always aim to have as much as possible prepared in advance of our meeting, so that the appointment itself shouldn’t take longer than around half an hour.
Legalisation (apostille or embassy) typically takes a few days, depending on processing times.
Before we meet, I will let you know which documents to have ready. Usually, you will have already sent me electronic versions of any documentation you are required to sign, so that I can prepare everything for you in advance. Sometimes, clients are only provided with hard copy document(s) to sign, in which case you will need to bring that when we meet. In addition, I will ask you to provide documentation to confirm your identity, such as your passport, driving licence and/or other proof of address.
Don’t worry – that’s quite normal! Get in touch, ideally providing me with any instructions or information you’ve been given. I’ll review your situation and let you know what’s required. You might not have clear instructions from the overseas recipient. Where that’s the case, I can help you distil the issues so that you can ask the right questions to get clear guidance.
My fees depend on the type and number of documents, the service required, and whether you can come to my office or need me to travel to you. There may also be payments due to third parties (known as ‘disbursements’, for example, to the FCDO for the apostille, and to any agents instructed to assist with that process).
In all cases, I’m always transparent and will give you a full breakdown of costs before you make any commitment. I don’t charge VAT on my fees (although some disbursements carry their own VAT). Currently, I accept payment by bank transfer only, and full payment must be made before I can release the notarised / legalised document to you.
No, and you may be able to find a Notary closer to you. Before you make any commitment with me, I will always give you a full breakdown of costs, including any additional element charged for travel (if you are unable to attend my York office). In some instances, a Notary more local to you may be a better option. However, if you need an out of hours appointment, or a home / office visit, and the Notary nearest to you is unable to assist, then I may provide a helpful alternative.
No. Depending on the service you require, I may be able to assist without the need to meet at all. This is often the case for notarisation of ACRO certificates, or education documents like degree certificates and transcripts, as well as assistance with legalisation (obtaining an apostille or consular / embassy certification).