Notaries public
- Introduction
- What can a notary public do?
- When do I need to use a notary public?
- Where do I find a notary public?
- Documents to bring to a notary public
- Notary public fees
- Further information
Introduction
A notary public is a public officer who authenticates and legalises documents. They also verify the identity of the document signer. They usually deal with matters concerning foreign law or international business.
Notaries are appointed by the Chief Justice and are typically qualified lawyers.
When documents are notarised, it helps prevent fraud and makes the documents more likely to be accepted for use in Ireland and abroad.
What can a notary public do?
A notary public certifies the signing or making in their presence of:
- A deed relating to the buying or selling of a property
- A contract, or
- Other written documents
They can verify that something has happened in their presence and provide a certificate confirming this. For example, if you need proof that you have signed a document, they can verify that you signed it in their presence.
A notary public can:
- Witness and prove signatures to documents
- Administer oaths
- Authenticate documents
- Take affidavits (other than affidavits for the courts in Ireland)
- Draw up Powers of Attorney and other legal documents
When do I need to use a notary public?
You may have to use a notary if you have to send papers or documents abroad for legal purposes.
For example, you may need the services of a notary for:
- Foreign adoption papers
- Affidavits for use in foreign courts
- Buying or selling a property abroad
- Copies of State documents for use abroad
- International contracts
- Powers of Attorney (authorising another party abroad to act on your behalf)
Where do I find a notary public?
A notary can notarise documents in the county where their main office is and in some bordering counties. If you want the notary to notarise documents outside of their county, you should check they are authorised to sign and notarise documents in that place.
You may need to make an appointment with the notary before you visit.
You can find a list of notaries public on the website of the Faculty of Notaries Public in Ireland.
Documents to bring to a notary public
When you meet the notary public, you must provide proof of your identity and where you live. It would be helpful to bring:
- Your passport to prove your identity
- A utility bill – dated within the previous 3 months and show your home address (it cannot be a mobile phone bill).
You may also need to provide documents proving other details such as corporate documents if the matter is about a company. The notary will tell you the documents you must provide.
Notary public fees
A notary public charges for their time, expertise and the level of risk involved in the transaction.
They will give you details of their services and how much it will cost. If they have to do extra work outside of what you have agreed, they also may charge for that. If you do not pay the fee, they can withhold the certificates or documents.
Further information
The Faculty of Notaries Public in Ireland promotes and regulates the profession of notary public in Ireland. There is a code of conduct (pdf) that notaries must follow.
You can read frequently asked questions on the Faculty of Notaries Public in Ireland website.