Our Principal Solicitor Mary-Jean Lewis has recently been appointed by the NSW Supreme Court as a Notary Public. Ardent Lawyers can now offer this service to our valued clients and community.

What is a Notary Public?

A Public Notary (which can also be referred to as a Notary Public or a Notary) is a solicitor, appointed for life by the NSW Supreme Court, to exclusively witness documents for use in foreign countries.

Examples of work the Notary Public can perform include certifying copies of Australian Documents, attesting documents, preparing, and certifying legal documents and administering oaths for documents which can be used overseas.

How can a Notary Public be verified?

The Notary Public’s official seal and signature are officially recorded in a database held by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) which governs the authentication of Australian public documents. In NSW the seals and signatures are also recorded with the NSW Supreme Court and the Society of Notaries NSW Inc.

If required, the Notary Public’s seal and signature will be confirmed with the registers to ensure the document is reliable.

What is the difference between a Justice of the Peace (JP) and a Notary Public?

A JP can witness a statutory declaration, witness a person make an affidavit or certify original copies of a document. A JP usually does not charge a fee.

A Notary Public is a solicitor and can therefore perform the same tasks as a JP however, a Notary Public’s service is used to authenticate documents for overseas use. A Notary Public has the exclusive ability to verify documents that can be recognised overseas. A Notary Public will charge a fee for their service.

How is the fee charged?

Ardent Lawyers will issue you a cost estimate prior to the service. In most cases we will provide you with a fixed fee. Please call our office on (02) 4444 6808 for a quote.