Elliot Hillier is a duel qualified lawyer practising as a notary public and a solicitor. As a notary Elliot is available to assist clients with all types of notarial instructions and his clients are usually based in or around: Stockport, Manchester, Cheshire and the North West region generally. When Elliot is also a director at Mounteney Solicitors where he practises as a commercial property solicitor where he trained and qualified in 2023.
FAQ's
What does it mean to notarise a document?
Notarisation of a document is a broad term, the actual work required to notarise one document can be very different to the next. I assist clients with legal documents to be used anywhere in the world, which can come in different languages, based on different types of legal systems.
I may be administering an oath or declaration for use abroad, or giving a certificate confirming that a certain document or process is valid under English law. The work for each task is different but each could be described as notarising a document, if a notary has done it.
The only thing that can be taken from the word notarise is that you must see a notary, since only a notary has the authority and recognition to notarise a document. A document signed by a solicitor is highly likely to be rejected by the authority requesting the documents wasting time and money.
If you need documents notarising then please contact me and I will be happy to assist.
What is the cost to get a document notarised?
The cost varies depending on the type and length of documents to be notarised, if they are for an individual or a business, and any particular requirements the person receiving the documents may have.
There is a minimum fee of £100.00 for individuals and £180.00 for businesses which applies to the simplest instructions. I charge an hourly rate of £300.00.
We expect that for most documents to be notarised we will provide a fixed fee quote. If you contact me to discuss your enquiry and provide the document to be notarised and a copy of the instructions you may have received then I can provide a quote.
More information can be found about our fees, insurance and complaints information in the Terms of Business.
What is the difference between notarisation and legalisation.
Only a notary public can notarise documents. The work needed to notarise documents varies between each instruction but it will always include checking identity, that the person signing the documents has capacity and understanding about what they are signing. When an individual signs on behalf of a company the notary will check that the individual is properly authorised to sign the documents.
Legalisation on the other hand does not involve any such checks and it is simply a process to verify the identity of a government official (such as a registrar, a solicitor, or notary) who has signed a document.
If you have been asked to get documents notarised then the person requesting the documents wants to be able to rely on the checks and guarantees which are given when a notary notarises a document. Legalisation is not sufficient.
If you need any assistance arranging for documents to be legalised then we can assist you.
Can I get a solicitor to notarise my documents?
No a solicitor cannot notarise documents, they are not legally able to do so. Notarising documents is a reserved legal activity under the Legal Services Act 2007 meaning that it is against the law for anyone other than a notary public to provide notarial activies in England and Wales.
When a document has been notarised foreign legal systems will place absolute trust in the notarised document and any notarial certificate. Only notarised documents are respected in this way internationally.
Notaries are internationally recognised lawyers, which mean that foreign lawyers and officials will readily accept notarised documents. Documents signed by a English and Welsh solicitor will be unfamiliar and will not hold the same authority.
Notaries are trained to deal with the requirements of foreign documents and are experts in making sure they are accepted.
The bottom line is that if you have been asked to get your documents notarised, a solicitor witnessing your documents is not the same thing or an alternative. You require a notary. If you go to a solicitor it will be more expensive in the long run if your documents are rejected, and time is lost.
Why do I need a notary when there is a foreign lawyer?
You may have received documents that have been drafted by a foreign lawyer who has asked you to get them notarised. You may be thinking that if the foreign lawyer has drafted the documents, why is a notary needed. There are many possible reasons:
1. For some documents, documents need to comply with the law of England and Wales. The foreign lawyer not being trained in the law of England and Wales falls short at this stage. Elliot Hillier is a notary public and a practising solicitor who can make sure the documents meet the English and Welsh legal requirements.
2. Certain legal systems regularly use notaries to authenticate and record information. Mostly in these countries in order for some types of transactions to be valid documents may only be signed before a notary. A notary is a internationally recognised lawyer and therefore a great deal of trust is placed in the work we carryout.
3. Even where it is not a strict requirement that documents need to be signed before a notary to be valid, the lawyers, overseas notary, and governmental bodies who are receiving the documents may have still prefer to receive documents signed before a notary. They will be able to place greater reliance on documents where a notary has been involved due to the diligent approach and high standards that every English and Welsh notary notary adopts.
If you need any assistance arranging for documents to be notarised or legalised then please contact us.