Public Notary · Sydney
Witnessing, certifying and notarising documents, including documents for use overseas, at our office in Marrickville in Sydney’s Inner West.
How we can help
4.9★
As at October 2026
30+
years in legal service
Supplied by CM Lawyers, October 2026
Google rating as at October 2026. Years in legal service supplied by CM Lawyers.
Notary services
Our public notary can witness signatures, certify copies of documents, verify identity and notarise documents, including documents you need to use overseas. Appointments are at our office in Marrickville, in Sydney's Inner West.
On affidavits, statutory declarations, powers of attorney, contracts and other documents for use overseas.
Certified copies of original documents for use overseas.
Private documents such as powers of attorney, wills, deeds and contracts, so they can be used overseas or legalised by DFAT.
A public notary can also witness statutory declarations and affidavits.
Where a document or an overseas organisation asks for your identity to be confirmed.
Including documents for overseas property, businesses, estates and companies.
Step by step
Send us an enquiry or call (02) 9557 9000. Tell us what the document is, which country it is for and when you need it. If the person or organisation receiving your document has given you instructions, please bring them so we can work from them.
A scanned copy of the document before your visit saves time and lets the notary give you a more detailed quote before your appointment.
Before any work begins, we give you a written estimate of our costs.
Usually 15 minutes
A straightforward document usually needs a 15-minute appointment with the notary, plus about 10 minutes of further work by the notary. A document that is not straightforward takes longer. The notary needs to be satisfied that you understand the document you are signing. If you do not, you may need legal advice before you sign, and we can help you arrange it.
If your document also needs to be legalised, we can provide you with the details of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) so that it can be apostilled or authenticated. DFAT accepts documents for legalisation by mail or by appointment at an Australian Passport Office.
What to bring
To book an appointment, please send us an enquiry or call (02) 9557 9000.
Fees
Notarial fees depend on the document and the work involved. If you send us a copy of the document before your appointment, we can give you a more detailed quote.
Before any work begins, we give you a written estimate of our costs.
If your document also needs an apostille or authentication certificate, DFAT charges its own fee for each certificate. This is separate from our fees. DFAT publishes its current fees on its Smartraveller notarial services page.
Overseas documents
Each country sets its own rules, so the first step is to find out exactly what the person or organisation receiving your document needs. Many overseas authorities accept a document once it has been notarised. Others also ask for an apostille or authentication certificate from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The process of notarising a document includes placing our seal, signature and identification details on the document. DFAT keeps a record of Australian notaries' signatures and checks the notary's signature and seal before it adds its certificate. Apostilles are used for documents going to countries that have joined the Hague Apostille Convention. The full list of countries is on the Hague Conference on Private International Law website. DFAT cannot tell you what an overseas authority needs, so please check with the person or organisation asking for your document whether they need an apostille or an authentication certificate.
CM Lawyers has experience working with international legal requirements. Whether your document is a power of attorney, a business contract or foreign adoption papers, we can explain each step. If you need a power of attorney for use in NSW rather than overseas, see our power of attorney service in Marrickville.
Questions
A Justice of the Peace (JP) in NSW is a volunteer appointed by the Governor of New South Wales. The main roles of a JP are to witness statutory declarations and affidavits and to certify copies of original documents, such as a birth certificate. JPs cannot charge a fee. Unlike a public notary, a NSW JP is not authorised to witness documents for use overseas.
You will need a public notary, rather than a JP, when a document must be witnessed or notarised for use overseas. DFAT cannot legalise a document that has only been certified by a JP. Even so, check with the person or organisation in the overseas country what they need.
Some original Australian public documents, such as birth certificates, citizenship certificates and National Police Checks, can usually go straight to DFAT for an apostille or authentication certificate without a notary. If you would rather DFAT did not put its certificate on your original, a notary can prepare a notarised copy for DFAT to legalise instead. Check first that the overseas authority accepts a notarised copy.
In New South Wales, a public notary (also called a notary public) is a lawyer of at least five years' standing who has been appointed by the Supreme Court of New South Wales and whose name is on the roll of public notaries.
No. If the notary needs to witness your signature, do not sign the document before your appointment. Bring the original document with you.
Read more
Service
Enduring powers of attorney for use in NSW.
Service
Powers of attorney, property, inheritance and documents for use in Greece.
Official
Apostilles, authentication certificates and current DFAT fees.
Official
Check whether the receiving country uses apostilles.
Public notary
Tell us what the document is, which country it is for and when you need it. There’s no need to include confidential details at this stage. We’ll contact you to discuss next steps, availability and fees.
If your matter is urgent, please call us.
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Level 3, Unit 3.07
18–30 Faversham Street
Marrickville NSW 2204
You can drive up to Level 3, and two hours’ free parking is available at the Wicks Place car park, 186 Victoria Road.
General information only
This page gives general information about public notary services in NSW as at October 2026. It is not legal advice. Each overseas country or organisation sets its own requirements for documents, and these can change, so please check what they need before your appointment.
Disclaimer: This website provides general information only. Nothing on this site should be taken to comprise legal advice or used as a substitute for detailed and competent legal advice. While the information contained in this website is believed to be accurate and current, it is provided by CMLawyers in good faith on an “as is” basis. CMLawyers, its directors, officers or employees make no representation or warranty as to the reliability, accuracy or completeness of the information contained on this website, and none of them accept any responsibility arising in any way (including negligence) for errors in, or omissions from, the information contained in this website.
