Notarial Services
Originating from the scribes of ancient Hebrews, Greeks and Egyptians, the office of a Notary Public is a highly respected office of trust both in South Africa and throughout the world.
In South Africa, a Notary Public is an admitted attorney with special powers to draw up and authenticate specific documents – the attorney must have been admitted as a Notary Public.
South African law requires that certain documents be notarially executed and Notaries are authorised by the High Court of South Africa to draw up and attest to these documents.
Furthermore, Notaries are also authorised by the High Court to witness and verify the authenticity of signatures and copies of certain documents, mainly for use overseas.
Our Notarial services include:
- Antenuptial Contracts (generally referred to as an ANC)
- Postnuptial Contracts
- Servitudes
- Life Partnership Agreements
- Authentication Certificates
- Notarial Bonds
If you are required to present documentation originating from South Africa or you need to sign documentation for use in another country, it is likely that such documentation must first go through a process of being legalised, or otherwise commonly referred to as “authenticated”. The type of authentication or seal/endorsement required depends on the document type.
It is important to firstly distinguish between documents that must be authenticated by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (“DIRCO”) or by a Notary Public and thereafter, a High Court of the Republic of South Africa.
Broadly speaking, if the document is a document that is not issued by a South African governmental department, the document will most likely need to be authenticated by a Notary Public and thereafter, the High Court. Documents that are issued by a South African governmental department (ie. an unabridged Birth Certificate issued by the Department of Home Affairs) will need to be authenticated by DIRCO.
Our firm offers the following legalisation and authentication services (please click on the link for more information about the services) –
- Notarising of Documentation and High Court Apostille
- Notarising of Documentation ONLY
- High Court Apostille ONLY
- DIRCO Apostille (per set of documents)
- Upliftment of documents from the Western Cape High Court (Cape Town)