Who needs a notary?

Both Businesses and Individuals may need to see a notary

Anyone involved in transactions involving international business, such as       

the formation of companies

commercial transactions overseas

dealing with foreign property

is likely to require the services of a notary who will upon proof of identity and having satisfied himself of their capacity and understanding verify or authenticate their signatures to documents and to certify their validity.

Many countries also require what is called an "Apostille" to be fixed to a document. This is a certificate issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and attached to the document to confirm that the notary is in good standing.
 
Whenever you are faced with a foreign document, please remember that you will probably need the services of a notary and that the signature of a solicitor alone will not suffice

Notaries are regulated by the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury who set the rules and regulations for the profession.

A lot of people ask me about the history of the English Notarial profession and how we differ from "ordinary" solicitors. Well, we can trace the origin of the English Notary back to the 12th Century to the time of Edward the Confessor and originally took our authority from the Pope in Rome!
If you would like to know more, here is an excellent paper written by German Notary Volker Heinz on English Notarial Profession