Professional invoice templates for notaries public billing individuals and businesses for notarial acts and document authentication.
A notary invoice is the formal billing document issued by a notary public to a client for notarial services. Notaries in England and Wales are specialist lawyers authorised to authenticate legal documents for use abroad, administer oaths, certify copies, and draft notarial acts. Their fees are historically regulated by the Faculty Office and, while deregulation has occurred for most work, notaries still issue invoices that must be transparent about the services rendered and any applicable disbursements. Clients requiring notarial services are often individuals or businesses involved in international transactions, property conveyancing abroad, company formation in foreign jurisdictions, or personal documents such as powers of attorney for use overseas. The invoice must clearly distinguish between the notary's professional fee and disbursements such as Apostille fees payable to the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office or legalisation fees at foreign consulates. Because many clients are unfamiliar with notarial procedures, a clear invoice that explains what each charge relates to builds trust and reduces disputes. Notaries who handle corporate clients frequently deal with legal department billing teams who require full itemisation.
| Service | Typical Rate | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Notarial certificate (per document) | 80 | document |
| Certified copy (per document) | 60 | document |
| Apostille application (FCDO fee) | 30 | document |
| Power of attorney notarisation | 150 | document |
| Sworn affidavit or statutory declaration | 75 | document |
| Consultation (in-person or video) | 100 | hour |
Notary invoices are typically issued on completion of the notarial act, before or simultaneously with delivery of the authenticated documents. For postal matters, issue the invoice when documents are dispatched. Separate professional fees from disbursements clearly on every invoice. Disbursements such as FCDO Apostille fees, courier costs, or consular fees should be itemised individually and passed through at cost. Clients may query disbursements, so keep receipts and be prepared to provide copies. For corporate clients handling multiple documents in a single instruction, list each document separately with its corresponding notarial act type. This aids the client's internal approval processes and makes it easy to query a specific document without disputing the whole invoice. Many notaries require payment before releasing authenticated documents. If this is your practice, state it clearly in your client care letter and on the invoice. Standard payment methods include bank transfer and card payment; some notaries require cleared funds before releasing originals. Payment terms of 7 to 14 days are standard.