In recent years, the need for notaries has grown alongside the growth of international legal, financial and regulated services. The growth in the sale and purchase of property abroad has, for example, increased the work of notaries, especially as many property transactions outside Jersey need to involve a notary.
The notary’s work varies from certifying that company and business documents and transactions have been duly signed before him or her, to authenticating personal documents and information for immigration or emigration purposes, or to apply to marry or to work abroad. Indeed notaries can provide authentication and a secure record for almost any kind of transaction, document or event. Notaries can also administer oaths and affirmations for affidavits and witness statements.
All Notaries registered in Jersey can perform notarial acts in Jersey but not elsewhere.
The Notaries Society requires notaries to charge a 'proper fee which is appropriate for the level of service offered and which will enable us to meet the cost of acting properly and with the demands of good professional practice'.
We will be able to tell you your fee and associated disbursements in advance, so please ask us for details.
While each and every notarial instruction is likely to be different we will require at least the following:
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Evidence of identity. Generally, if you are making a personal application, we will require a current valid passport and two utility bills showing your current address (dated within the last three months) (or an entry in a telephone book, rate assessment or voting list). In order to comply with anti-money laundering legislation therefore additional requests for documents and information may in appropriate circumstances be required.
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For business applications, the company statutory documents. This usually comprises the act of incorporation and the memorandum and articles of association. It may involve the minute appointing a director and the minute authorising a director or another person to undertake a particular transaction. We will need to be satisfied that you have authority to do this. We will discuss additional requirements on application.
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The document(s) requiring to be notarised.
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Any covering letter or supporting documentation. This is usually from the person who prepared the notarial document or needs the notarial document to be notarised, explaining the nature of the document and the legal requirements of the destination country.
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To know whether the notarial document will need to be legalised or not.
We keep normal office hours. We will, however make arrangements to see you out of hours or out of the office if it is necessary.