In the UK today being able to prove your identity and your right to live and work in the country has never been more important. As a leader in the financial and legal world, some industries have become targets for illegal operations and so strict measures have been implemented to reduce the ability for these to occur as much as possible.
As a result of this, notaries are under obligation to ask you to supply identification documents which must be verified before any work can be undertaken, both for businesses and for personal notary matters.
For individuals this will be a proof of identity and a proof of address document, which can include but is not limited to:
For identity purposes:
- Driving Licence
- Signed passport
- National Identity card
- Pension Book
- Benefits Book
For address purposes:
- Council tax bill for the current year
- Utility bill under 3 months old
- House or Vehicle Insurance certificate
- Land Registry confirmation of address
- Latest bank or building society statement
For business clients, as well as the above, proof will be required of your businesses existence and your right to act as a representative of the business. For the majority of businesses based in the UK the notary will be able to do their own background checks to satisfy this requirement, however in some cases, especially those where the business is based or was established abroad, you may be asked to provide one or more of the following:
- Authorised signatory book
- Contractual documentation
- Chamber of Commerce information
- Certificate of Incorporation.
Every individual case will be assessed on its own standing and as such your Notary will advise you which exact documents will need to be seen by them.
For any questions or queries relating to your need for a Notary or to book an initial appointment please call us on 01474 335515 or complete our Contact Us form and we will be in touch with you as soon as possible.
Hatten Wyatt Notaries is regulated through the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury and maintains a minimum level of PI cover of £500,000.