Can You Get a Document Notarised by Post?

Not the signing itself. A notary has to see you sign, or swear, and check your identity at that moment, so a document you sign at home and post in cannot be notarised. Other parts of the chain often can go by post: sending the finished document to DFAT for an apostille, to an embassy, or back to you.

Key takeaways

• A notary must witness your signature or oath and check your identity at the time; a posted, pre-signed document cannot be notarised.
• Some notaries use an audio-visual link where their state allows it, but the receiving authority decides whether it accepts a remote act.
• For a certified copy, the notary must sight the original; whether they accept an original by post is up to the individual notary.
• DFAT accepts apostille and authentication requests by registered post, with a self-addressed registered return envelope.
• Embassy legalisation by post varies by embassy; check with the embassy itself.
• Post originals with tracking, keep copies, and never laminate, staple over or unbind a notarised document.

Why can't a notary notarise a document by post?

A notarial certificate on a signature says, in effect, that a particular person appeared before the notary, proved who they were, and signed the document in the notary's presence. The notary also checks that the person understands what they are signing and is doing so freely, and may decline if not. None of that can be done with a document that arrives in an envelope already signed. The notary did not see the signature, cannot tell who made it, and cannot certify anything about it.

The same applies to affidavits and other sworn documents. An oath or affirmation is made to the notary, in person. A posted affidavit with a signature on it is just a signed statement, not a sworn one.

If you post a notary an unsigned document instead, you still have to sign it in front of them, so posting it ahead only saves them preparation time. That can be useful: many notaries like to review a long or foreign-language document before the appointment. Our guide to bringing a document that is already signed covers what happens if you have signed too early.

What about remote or video notarisation?

Some Australian states and territories allow certain documents to be witnessed by audio-visual link, and some notaries offer remote notarial acts where their rules permit. That is not the same as notarising by post: you still appear before the notary, live, and they still check your identity and watch you sign. The paperwork may then travel by post or courier.

Two cautions. The rules on remote witnessing differ between states and territories and by document type, so check with the notary what applies to yours. And whether an overseas authority accepts a remotely notarised document is decided by that authority, not by Australian law. Many foreign registries, banks and courts still expect an in-person act. Ask before you book. Our guide to remote notarisation in Australia explains how it usually works.

Can a notary certify a copy of a document sent by post?

A certified copy is different from a signature, because the notary is certifying that a copy matches an original they have sighted, not that you signed something. The notary still has to see the original, not a scan or a photocopy. In principle an original could reach the notary by courier and be returned the same way, but whether a notary accepts that is a matter for the individual notary. Many prefer, or require, you to bring the original in person, especially where the certificate also mentions who you are.

Be careful with originals that are hard to replace, such as a degree, a passport or a foreign birth certificate. Posting them twice doubles the risk. For university documents going through DFAT, remember that a notarised copy has to state that the original record was verified with the issuing institution; a plain true-copy certificate is not enough. Our guide to originals and copies explains when an original must be shown.

Can I send my document to DFAT by post?

Yes. DFAT's page on notarial services in Australia says it legalises documents by mail and in person at Australian Passport Offices. For the mail route, it asks you to complete its document legalisation request form, send the form and the original documents by registered post with the card authorisation completed, and include a self-addressed registered post envelope for their return. It recommends keeping both tracking numbers and says it is not responsible for documents lost in the mail. Incomplete requests by mail are returned.

If you prefer to lodge in person, you book an appointment at a Passport Office, and DFAT says someone can attend on your behalf. Either way, DFAT only legalises Australian public documents: originals from government agencies or officials, originals from Australian tertiary institutions, and copies notarised by an Australian notary. Private documents such as a power of attorney must be notarised first. Check the current form and fee on DFAT's page before you post anything.

Step	Can it be done by post?	Who decides
Signing a document before a notary	No; in person, or live video where allowed	State rules and the receiving authority
Swearing an affidavit	No; the oath is made to the notary	State rules and the receiving authority
Notarised copy of an original	Sometimes; the notary must sight the original	The individual notary
DFAT apostille or authentication	Yes, by registered post	DFAT's published process
Embassy or consulate legalisation	Varies	The embassy or consulate
Sending the finished document overseas	Yes, tracked post or courier	You, and the recipient's deadline

What if you live overseas or far from a notary?

If you are overseas and the document is Australian, you can often sign before an Australian consular officer or a local notary where you are, depending on what the receiving authority accepts. If you live in regional Australia, the options are usually to travel to a notary, find a notary who travels, or ask whether a remote act would be accepted. Posting the document signed is not one of them.

Whatever route you use, the document can then travel by post for the steps that follow. Our guides to finding a notary in regional Australia and to getting an Australian document notarised from overseas cover these situations.

What if the document is for use in Australia?

Then you may not need a notary at all, and the options for doing it at a distance are wider. The Attorney-General's Department says a Commonwealth statutory declaration can now be made in three ways: on the approved form before an approved witness in person, on the form before a witness by video link, or digitally through myGov using your Digital Identity, with no witness. Each is equally valid. State and territory declarations have their own rules, so check which one you have been asked for.

For Australian certified copies, a Justice of the Peace or another authorised person is usually enough, and for an online Home Affairs application you attach clear scans or photos in ImmiAccount rather than posting anything; its certified-copy rules apply to paper applications. None of these is a notarial act, and none of them can be apostilled, so they help only when the document stays in Australia. Our guide to who can witness a statutory declaration lists the usual witnesses.

How do you use post in the notarial chain?

1. Ask the receiving authority first. Find out whether it needs notarisation, an apostille or embassy legalisation, and whether it accepts a remote act.
2. Contact the notary. Ask whether they want to see the document before the appointment, and whether they accept originals by courier for certified copies.
3. Attend and sign. Bring the unsigned document and your identity documents, and sign in the notary's presence.
4. Prepare the DFAT request. Download the current request form from DFAT's page and complete it fully.
5. Post it securely. Use registered post, include a self-addressed registered return envelope, and keep both tracking numbers.
6. Check the embassy's rules. If the country is outside the Hague Convention, ask the embassy how it accepts documents.
7. Send it on. Use tracked post or a courier to the recipient, and keep a scan of everything you send.

Common mistakes to avoid

The most common mistake is signing a document at home and posting it to a notary to "stamp". The notary cannot, and you will need a fresh copy. The second is posting documents to DFAT without the return envelope, or with an incomplete form, which means they come back unprocessed. The third is sending a document overseas by ordinary untracked post; if it is lost, you usually have to go through the whole chain again. The fourth is assuming a video appointment will be accepted abroad because it was convenient here. Finally, do not staple, laminate or unbind a notarised document before posting it. DFAT does not accept laminated or altered documents.

Here is an illustration, not a real case.

Ravi lives in Mildura and needs a power of attorney for property in India. The Indian side confirms it wants the document notarised and legalised, and will not accept a remote act. Ravi emails the draft to a notary ahead of time, then travels to the appointment and signs there. He posts the notarised document to DFAT by registered post with the request form and a registered return envelope. He checks the HCCH status table, sees India listed as a member on the day, so no embassy step is needed, and couriers the apostilled document to his brother.

In short

You cannot have a signature notarised by post. The notary has to witness you sign, or take your oath, and check your identity at the time, in person or by live video where that is allowed and accepted. What can go by post is almost everything around that moment: the draft beforehand, the DFAT request, often the embassy step, and the finished document. Our apostille and authentication page explains the steps after notarisation.

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