What is a Notary?

All notaries in New South Wales are qualified lawyers.  Notaries are appointed by the Supreme Court and must be lawyers of at least 5 years standing who complete the prescribed Notarial Practice Course.  Upon appointment, the name of the notary is entered on the Roll of Public Notaries.

A notary has been likened to "an International Justice of the Peace" because, almost exclusively, the work of a notary involves documentation required by a client for overseas use.

Common Functions Performed By Notaries

The most common functions or tasks of notaries within Australia tend to be: 

• Authenticating official, Government and personal documents and information for use overseas
• Witnessing signatures of individuals to documents and authenticating identity
• Witnessing Powers of Attorney for use overseas, including from time to time, preparing them
• Certifying true copies of documents for use overseas
• For corporations and business, witnessing documents and authenticating status and transactions
• Dealing with documentation for land, property and deceased estates overseas