Do you need a document signed and witnessed or verified as a true copy for use overseas? Then we can help. Wynyard Wood has over 24 years of experience providing notary public services to the greater Auckland area.
A Notary Public can:
- Take declarations, administer oaths and swear affidavits
- Witness the execution of documents
- Certify copies of documents and true copies of originals
- Authenticate the validity of documents
- Verify your signature on a document, which is normally necessary when documents need to be sent overseas
- Sometimes able to certify documents. We can certify true copies of original documents produced to us
- Vouch for the identity of clients and their witnesses who are personally present with their passports or national identity cards
- Swear an affidavit or take an affirmation or declaration for other countries
- Protest or note a Bill of Exchange
Highbrook, Auckland
Our Highbrook Office is located at Level 1, Wynyard Wood House, 60 Highbrook Drive, Highbrook Business Park, Auckland.
Warkworth
Our Warkworth office has closed, however, we may be able to assist you remotely. Please enquire and we will advise as to whether we are able to help.
A notary public is a senior lawyer authorised by the Archbishop of Canterbury in England to officially witness the signing of legal documents, verify copies of legal documents, collect sworn statements and administer oaths where those documents will be used overseas. A notary public uses an embossing tool (seal) to verify their presence at the time the documents were signed.
A Justice of the Peace is generally only able to provide their services in respect of documents to be used within New Zealand. If the documents will be used overseas, then they will most likely need to be notarised. Check the instructions carefully.
The minimum fee is NZ$135 plus GST for 1 document and then NZ$35.00 plus GST for second and subsequent documents. Our hourly charge rate is NZ$400 plus GST. Disbursements (payments we make) are extra. In most cases, all pages of a document must be sealed, so the fee will reflect the complexity of the documents.
Our time and your cost can be saved if, before any consultation, you supply the originals or exact photocopies of:
- The documents to be notarised
- Correspondence or forms of instructions that relate to the service that is to be performed
- Identification evidence (see below)
Documents to be notarised should not be bound as they may have to be rebound with a covering Notarial Certificate or photocopied in our office.
Our fee is payable at the time of notarisation. EFTPOS, credit card or cash is acceptable. There is no credit card surcharge.
Yes. As the notaries may be in meetings or out of the office, our notary office works on an appointment basis only. Please contact us to arrange an appointment with one of our notaries:
Wynyard Wood
Level 1, Wynyard Wood House, 60 Highbrook Drive, Highbrook, Auckland
Phone 09 969 0126
Please refer to our COVID-19 Policy.
- Current government issued photo identification (preferably a passport but a drivers licence or firearms licence may be acceptable)
- For documents requiring signing and witnessing, please complete the document (except for your signature) before you arrive. You will sign it in front of the Notary Public
- For any document requiring verification as a copy or a true copy, please bring the original document with you
- Bring any instructions you have received from overseas, where the notarised document needs to be sent
- Any special instructions for the Notary Public
Please ensure that the NAME(S) of the person(s) executing the document is spelt exactly the same as on the person’s Photo Identity Document. If the document to be notarised is in a language other than English, please ensure that the Name(s) of the person(s) executing the document is mentioned in English on the document and is spelt exactly the same as on the person’s Photo Identity Document.
Yes. The Notary Public does not need to be able to read the document so long as the person signing can confirm they understand and can explain what they are signing.
Usually not as each country has its own specific requirements, but this is something we can discuss.
Once documents are notarised, they may require further authentication or to be apostilled by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) in Wellington. Some countries call this process legalization. The process will depend on which country the documents are intended for.
If legalization is required, the notarised document will need to be sent to the Department of Internal Affairs in Wellington where the Notary Public’s signature and seal on the document will be certified as genuine by checking it against a specimen of the Notary Public’s signature and seal held on file and then the document will be authenticated and then sent to the Embassy for legalization.
The DIA website lists which countries require apostille and which require authentication as well as the costs involved. If you prefer, Wynyard Wood can take care of the apostilling or authentication for an additional fee.
It is suggested that you may send a scanned copy of your notarised document overseas by email, before you courier/post it, to confirm with the concerned authority/department if they are satisfied with the document. This is just by way of abundant caution and is not mandatory. We can email a scanned copy of the notarised document to you if you so request.
Wynyard Wood reserves its right to refuse notary services if, in the opinion of our Public Notary, a document does not appear to be genuine, or for any other reason at the subjective discretion of our Public Notary.