Notary Public in Perth: Finding One and What They Do

Perth is one of the easier Australian cities in which to find a notary. The WA Government publishes an official list of every practising notary, and most of them are in the metropolitan area. This guide explains how to use that list, what a Perth notary does and does not do, how their fees are capped, and who else can certify your documents when a notary is more than you need.

How notaries are appointed in WA

In Western Australia, notaries are appointed by the Full Court of the Supreme Court. According to the WA Government's Law Almanac, the Court may appoint a practitioner as a General Public Notary, or as a District Public Notary for a magisterial district other than Perth or Fremantle. Anyone appointed to practise in Perth or Fremantle is appointed as a general notary. Appointment arrangements differ between states. In Queensland, for example, notaries are appointed through the Court of Faculties in England.

A WA notary is a practising lawyer. They can:

• certify copies of original documents
• witness signatures and confirm the signer's identity
• administer oaths and take affidavits and declarations for use overseas
• prepare notarial certificates for foreign authorities.

A notary never certifies that a document's contents are true. They must see the original, not a scan or photocopy, and will ask for photo ID. They may decline if they are not satisfied about your identity, your understanding of the document, or that you are signing freely.

Finding a notary in Perth: the official list

The Law Almanac's Public Notaries page on wa.gov.au lists current practising notaries with their business addresses. The Public Notaries Society of Western Australia keeps it up to date. If you searched for "notary public Perth", "notaries Perth" or "notary public WA", that list is the authoritative answer.

On the version last updated 6 August 2026, we counted 82 entries. Sixty-nine had Perth metropolitan postcodes:

• 21 in the Perth CBD (postcode 6000), with more in West Perth, East Perth, North Perth, Leederville and West Leederville.
• Inner western suburbs: Subiaco, Nedlands, Crawley, Dalkeith, Claremont and Cottesloe.
• South of the river: South Perth, Como, Applecross, Willetton and Bull Creek.
• Fremantle and nearby: Fremantle, North Fremantle, South Fremantle and Beaconsfield.
• Further out: Osborne Park, Morley, Dianella, Inglewood, Trigg, Joondalup, Midland, Kalamunda and Cockburn Central.

The outer growth corridors are thinly served. The list had no entry in Rockingham or Armadale, for example, and Mandurah's entries sit outside the metropolitan postcodes. If you live on the fringe, you may have to travel into the city or ask about remote options. Check the current list before relying on these counts, because appointments change.

Notaries work by appointment. Before you book, send the notary the instructions you received from overseas, so they can check what the receiving authority actually wants.

What a notary costs in Perth

WA is unusual here. The Law Almanac states that the maximum fees WA notaries may charge are prescribed by the Legal Profession (Public Notaries) Determination 2025. We do not quote figures. Ask the notary for a quote and check it against the published maximum.

Within that cap, the price depends on:

• the number of notarial acts, not the number of pages
• additional certified copies, usually cheaper at the same appointment
• the certificate required, since wording prescribed by a foreign registry takes longer
• company documents, which need checks on the company and the signer's authority
• whether the notary lodges with DFAT for you, which is a service fee separate from DFAT's own charge.

DFAT's apostille or authentication fee is set by DFAT, not the notary. See notary public fees in Australia.

Who can certify documents in Perth?

Many people searching "where can I get copies certified" or "who can certify documents Perth" do not need a notary. The test is where the document is going.

For use in Australia, a Justice of the Peace is usually enough, and free. The WA Department of Justice says its JPs are volunteers who serve the community "free of charge". It runs a Find a JP search and a network of JP document witnessing centres. For statutory declarations, WA also has a list of other authorised witnesses. The organisation receiving the copy decides whose certification it accepts, so check its instructions. For the Department of Home Affairs, a certified copy by an authorised person is usually sufficient.

For use overseas, you need a notary. A JP's certification is not accepted overseas and cannot be apostilled.

"Document attestation" in Perth

"Attestation" is the word many overseas authorities use, particularly in South Asia and the Gulf, for the whole chain of steps. It usually means three things:

1. a Perth notary notarises the document (not needed for an original Australian public document)
2. DFAT issues an apostille, or an authentication certificate for countries outside the Hague Convention
3. for those countries, the embassy or consulate legalises it.

Ask the receiving authority exactly which of those steps it needs. Hague membership changes, so check the HCCH status table on the day.

Lodging with DFAT from Perth

Only DFAT can issue an apostille or authentication certificate. You can lodge in person at the Australian Passport Office in Perth, by appointment only, and someone can attend on your behalf. Or you can post documents by registered post to DFAT's Authentications Section at its Melbourne or Sydney GPO box. DFAT has no Perth postal address for this.

Original WA public documents can go to DFAT directly, without a notary. These include birth, death and marriage certificates, court documents and national police checks. Confirm first, and do not laminate them. University degrees and transcripts need university verification before DFAT will legalise them, whether original or notarised.

For statewide detail, including regional notaries and translation, see our guide to notary and translation services in Western Australia.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the official list of notaries in Perth? On the WA Government's Law Almanac, under Public Notaries.

Are notary fees in Perth capped? Yes. Maximum fees are prescribed by a determination named in the Law Almanac. Ask for a quote and compare it.

Can a JP certify documents for overseas use? No. A JP is for Australian use. For overseas, use a notary, or send original public documents to DFAT.

Can I lodge for an apostille in Perth? Yes, by appointment at the Australian Passport Office in Perth, or by post to Melbourne or Sydney.