Isle of Man: DQ Notarial Services

DQ offers a full range of notarial services including a collection service.  We attend court twice a day allowing urgent documents to be turned around on the same day. 

Who is a Notary Public?

A Notary Public is an officer appointed by the Isle of Man Court.  They are required for a number of reasons but largely to authenticate and certify signatures and documents for use abroad.  When a legal document is presented in a foreign country, it is often difficult for the recipient to validate the document or signature as genuine and authentic.  By virtue of the Hague Convention, certain countries accept the legalisation of documents by other convention members by means of a Notary.

In addition to notarisation of a document, a further certificate of authenticity may also be required from the Isle of Man Courts.  The "apostille certificate" (issued by the Isle of Man Courts) confirms the signature, seal or stamp of the notary on a document to be genuine so that it will be accepted when presented in another country outside of the Isle of Man.  The cost of this apostille is in addition to any costs of the notary as it is a government fee.

What is a notarial certificate?

Each notarial is unique to the particular client and circumstances.  Examples include witnessing signatures on powers of attorney in relation to dealing with property abroad, swearing a statutory statement or affidavit or confirming a passport by providing a certified copy of the original.

The process itself involves the notary adding their personal stamp and seal to the document or a covering confirmatory certificate tailored to the particular circumstances.

What is required?

If you require the services of a notary: 

• We suggest you contact us by email notary@dq.im or by telephone +44 1624 626999 as soon as possible to discuss your requirements.  We will make an appointment for you to come to our offices to meet the notary public or arrangements can be made for us to attend your offices;
• We advise you to also confirm whether the document should be apostilled and if so which service you require;
• The client will need to provide original documents proving their identity usually a passport or driving licence and a copy of a recent (within six months) utility bill (not a mobile bill), where possible;
• We ask you to provide a copy of the document to be sworn or notarised in advance (email is sufficient) where possible together with copies of any other relevant documents the notary may need to review;
• We will issue a fee quote attaching our notarial terms of business and requesting the original documents required.  We will advise you of any additional disbursements such as court costs etc.

Our Notaries and Commissioners for Oaths

Colette Wylde

Originally published June 18, 2020.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.