Notary and Translation Services in Western Australia

Western Australia does two things differently from most states. It publishes an official list of every practising notary, and it caps what notaries may charge. It also has a practical problem no other state has on the same scale: most of its notaries are in Perth, and much of its population is not. This guide covers where WA notaries are, how the DFAT step works from WA, and when you do not need a notary at all.

How notaries work in WA

In WA, the Full Court of the Supreme Court appoints public notaries. According to the WA Government's Law Almanac, it can appoint a practitioner as a General Public Notary, or as a District Public Notary for a magisterial district other than Perth or Fremantle. Anyone practising in Perth or Fremantle is appointed as a general notary.

Two features are useful to know:

• There is an official list. The Law Almanac publishes the current practising notaries with their business addresses. The Public Notaries Society of Western Australia keeps it up to date. If you searched for a "list of notary public in Western Australia", that is the authoritative one.
• Fees are capped. The maximum fees WA notaries may charge are set by a determination named in the Law Almanac. We do not quote figures here. Ask the notary for a quote, and you can check it against the published maximum.

An Australian notary is usually an experienced lawyer. A notary certifies copies, witnesses signatures and administers oaths, but never certifies that a document's contents are true. You must bring the original document and photo ID. A notary cannot certify from a scan or photocopy.

Where WA's notaries are

On the Law Almanac list last updated 6 August 2026, we counted about 80 entries. Twenty-one had a Perth CBD address, and most of the rest were in the Perth and Fremantle metropolitan area, from Joondalup to Cockburn Central and Midland.

Outside the metropolitan area, the list had addresses in:

• Albany (two entries). This answers "notary public Albany".
• Mandurah (two) and Northam (two).
• Broome, Bunbury, Dunsborough, Eaton, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie and Manjimup (one each).

It showed no notary in the Pilbara: none in Karratha, Port Hedland or South Hedland. Check the current list before relying on this, because appointments change.

Reaching DFAT from anywhere in WA

Only DFAT can issue an apostille or authentication certificate in Australia. A notary cannot. For WA residents there are two ways to lodge:

1. In person at the Australian Passport Office in Perth, by appointment only. Someone can lodge and collect on your behalf. Bring a card for payment and, if you want the documents posted back, a self-addressed registered post envelope.
2. By registered post to DFAT's Authentications Section at its Melbourne or Sydney GPO box (addresses on Smartraveller). DFAT has no Perth postal address for this. Include the request form, card authorisation and a registered return envelope.

For people in the regions, post is often the realistic route. Tourism WA puts Karratha at a two-hour flight or 16-hour drive from Perth. The Town of Port Hedland puts itself 1,765 km from Perth, and the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder about 594 km. DFAT does not publish a fixed turnaround and says demand peaks at the end of the school year and in holiday periods.

Do you need a notary at all?

Often you do not:

• Original Australian public documents, such as WA birth, death and marriage certificates, national police checks and court documents, can be legalised by DFAT directly. Confirm with DFAT first. Laminated or altered certificates are refused.
• University degrees and transcripts need verification by the university before DFAT will legalise them, whether you lodge the original or a notarised copy. A plain "true copy" notarial certificate is not enough.
• Documents for the Department of Home Affairs usually need only a certified copy from an authorised person, such as a JP, not a notary.

"Free notary public" in Perth

Notaries charge fees. The free option is a Justice of the Peace: a volunteer who witnesses documents and certifies copies for Australian purposes. The WA Department of Justice has a Find a JP search by suburb, town or postcode, and runs JP document witnessing centres. A JP's certification is not accepted overseas and cannot be apostilled. If a document is leaving Australia, a JP is the wrong choice.

Translations in WA

WA's population is unusually international. In the 2021 Census, 62.0% of Western Australians were born in Australia, against 66.9% nationally. The share born in England (7.4%) was about double the national figure (3.6%). For Australian agencies, use a NAATI-certified translator. The NAATI Online Directory is searchable by language and location, and certification is the same in every state. For DFAT to legalise a translation, every page must carry the translator's name, signature, NAATI seal and practitioner ID, and the date. For a document going overseas, ask the receiving authority whose translation it accepts.

Remote and mobile options

Some WA notaries offer mobile or remote services. Whether a remotely performed notarial act is accepted is decided by the authority that receives the document, not by Australian law. Get that confirmed before you book.

Frequently asked questions

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

Is there a DFAT office in Perth? Yes. DFAT takes legalisation appointments at the Australian Passport Office in Perth. Postal lodgements go to Melbourne or Sydney.

Is there a notary in Albany? The 6 August 2026 list had two Albany entries.

Can a Perth JP certify my documents for overseas use? No. Use a notary, or send original public documents to DFAT directly.