Notary Services in Sydney: Booking an Appointment

Booking a notary in Sydney goes smoothly when the preparation is done first. Get the receiving authority's written instructions, send the notary a copy of the document before the appointment, bring the original unsigned with current photo ID, and make sure every signer can attend. Then plan the DFAT step, and a consulate step if the country needs one.

Key takeaways

• Most rebooked appointments fail on preparation, not on the notary's availability: a signed document, missing ID, or the wrong instructions.
• Send the notary the receiving authority's instructions and a copy of the document when you first make contact.
• What to bring depends on the job: a signature, a certified copy, an oath or a company document each need something different.
• A NSW JP cannot witness documents for use overseas, but for many domestic documents you do not need a notary at all.
• The notary is often only the first step. DFAT, and sometimes a consulate, come after.

Do you need a notary at all?

Check this before you book anything, because a notary is often not the cheapest or the right answer. For documents staying in Australia, a NSW statutory declaration or a certified copy for a NSW body can usually be done by a Justice of the Peace, who is a free volunteer witness. NSW keeps a public register of JPs searchable by suburb. A Commonwealth statutory declaration can be witnessed by anyone on the Commonwealth list. For copies going to the Department of Home Affairs, a copy certified by an authorised person is usually enough.

The answer changes when the document is going overseas. NSW Communities and Justice says NSW JPs are not authorised to witness documents for use overseas, including proof of life forms, and a JP certification cannot be apostilled. That is where a notary comes in. Our guide to JP or notary in NSW sets out the line.

What should you send before the appointment?

A notary decides how to do the job from the paperwork, so the first email matters more than the booking itself. Send:

1. The receiving authority's instructions, in writing. A foreign bank's checklist, a lawyer's email or a consulate's web page all count. They say whether the authority wants a witnessed signature, a certified copy, an oath, an apostille or an embassy legalisation.
2. A copy of the document, unsigned. The notary can spot a missing page, a blank that must be filled in first, or wording that needs a different kind of certificate.
3. The names of everyone who must sign, and whether anyone signs for a company or trust.
4. The destination country, so the notary can tell you about the DFAT step that follows.
5. Any language issue. If the document is not in English, say so. The notary may need a translation, or may need to confirm that you understand what you are signing.

Ask for a written quote set out by notarial act in reply. A notary who has seen the document can quote accurately; one who has not can only guess.

What to bring for each kind of job

Every appointment needs current photo ID, such as a passport or driver licence, and proof of any change of name if the ID and the document differ. Beyond that, it depends on the job.

Job	Bring	Common mistake
Witnessing a signature	The completed but unsigned document, photo ID	Signing at home first; the notary must see you sign
Certified copy	The original document	Bringing a scan or an earlier certified copy instead
Oath or affirmation	The unsigned affidavit or declaration, with exhibits	Exhibits missing or not marked as the affidavit describes
Signing for a company	ASIC extract, resolution, constitution if relevant	No evidence of authority to sign
University document	The original, with the university's verification	Expecting a plain "true copy" to satisfy DFAT

The notary must sight the original document for a certified copy. A notary certifies that a copy matches the original, never that the original's contents are true. For university documents, DFAT legalises an original only once the university has verified it, and a notarised copy must state that the original record was verified with the institution. Start that before you book, because the university sets its own process and the notary cannot complete the certificate without it. Our page on ID accepted for notarisation covers identification in more detail.

Who has to be there?

Every person whose signature the notary witnesses must attend in person, with their own photo ID. A spouse cannot sign for a partner who is at work, and a parent cannot sign for an adult child. If two directors must sign a company document, both attend, though not always at the same appointment; ask the notary.

The notary also checks that each signer understands the document and is signing freely, and may decline if not. If someone has a hearing or language difficulty, or needs an interpreter, tell the notary when you book. If a signer is overseas, they usually sign before a notary or consular officer where they are instead. Our guide on when a signatory cannot attend covers the options.

How do you choose and book a notary in Sydney?

People who search for "notary services in Sydney book now" usually want an appointment quickly, but choosing well saves more time than booking fast. NSW notaries are appointed through the Supreme Court of NSW and are usually experienced solicitors. The Society of Notaries of New South Wales publishes a directory you can search by area, which covers the CBD, Parramatta and the suburbs.

Things worth asking before you commit:

• Has the notary handled documents for this country before?
• Will they quote in writing, set out by notarial act, after seeing the document?
• Do they arrange the DFAT step, or do you lodge it yourself?
• What happens if the document needs a change on the day?

Plan the steps after the notary at the same time. DFAT issues apostilles and authentication certificates. Its page on how to get documents legalised lists three ways to lodge: by appointment at an Australian Passport Office, including Sydney's; at a mission overseas; or by registered post. Someone can attend the Passport Office appointment on your behalf. Our guide on choosing a notary public goes further.

What comes after the notary?

An apostille is a DFAT certificate that confirms the signature and seal on a document, never its contents. Countries in the Hague Apostille Convention accept it on its own. Countries outside it usually need DFAT authentication and then legalisation by their own embassy or consulate. Membership changes, so check the HCCH status table on the day.

Sydney has an advantage here: many countries have a consulate-general in the city, not only an embassy in Canberra. Whether that office handles legalisation, and for which states, varies by country, so check the consulate's own instructions before you plan around it. Our guide to consulates and document legalisation explains what to ask, and our apostille and authentication page explains the DFAT step.

What affects the cost?

No figures are given here: notaries set their own fees, and DFAT's fee changes each year. The total is driven by:

• The notarial act and document type. A single signature costs less work than a notarised copy of a long contract or a company document needing proof of authority.
• Signers and copies. Each extra signer and each certified copy is further notarial work.
• Travel, if the appointment is anywhere other than the notary's own office.
• Waiting and rebooking. An appointment wasted on a missing document still takes the notary's time.
• Legalisation and delivery. DFAT's fee, any consulate fee, and couriers are all separate from the notary's fee.

A written quote after the notary has seen the document is the only reliable figure. Our document notarisation page describes what the notary's work involves.

Here is an illustration, not a real case

A man in Parramatta needs to sign a power of attorney so his sister can sell their late mother's flat in Greece. He first books with a notary for the following week, then realises he has already signed the document at home. The notary tells him it must be signed again, in front of them, so the Greek lawyer sends a fresh unsigned copy. He emails it to the notary with the lawyer's instructions, and the notary points out that the document refers to an attached passport copy, which will need certifying too. He brings his passport and the unsigned document, signs in front of the notary, and lodges both with DFAT by appointment at the Sydney Passport Office. He checks the HCCH table, which lists Greece as a member, so no consulate step is needed. Whether the power of attorney is enough to sell the flat is for the Greek lawyer to confirm.

In short

Before you book a notary in Sydney, check whether you need one, then send the receiving authority's instructions and an unsigned copy of the document. Bring the original, current photo ID and every signer. Plan the DFAT step, and a consulate step for a non-Hague country, at the same time. A NSW JP cannot witness documents for use overseas.

People also search for

• How do I get a document notarised in Sydney?
• Is there a free notary public in Sydney?
• What if I already signed the document?
• How long does notarisation take?
• Do I need a notary or a JP?

Send us the document and the country it is going to, and we will explain each step before you book.