Which Services Can Be Provided By A Notary Public In Vancouver?

When it comes to legal services, there are certain differences between what can be provided by a lawyer and a notary public in Vancouver.

A notary public is someone who is trained to watch others sign documents – and will sign a paper verifying that the signature and marks on said document are genuine. They can also certify that copies of a document are “true copies” of the original.

A lawyer, on the other hand, is trained to understand the law and help his or her clients handle legal affairs.

The key difference is – a notary public is limited in their ability to provide legal advice. Notaries public are limited to “non-contentious” issues, meaning that those involved are already in agreement.

A notary public in Vancouver is capable of notarizing documents, witnessing a signature or administering an oath. A lawyer, on the other hand, can perform all these duties as well as provide legal advice and representation.

In summary, a notary public may:

• Witness a signature
• Certify a document
• Administer an oath

This means that a notary public may appoint a Power of Attorney, execute an affidavit or statutory declaration, authenticate and legalize documents for use outside of Canada.

Whereas as a lawyer will also be able to:

• Provide legal advice
• Represent you in court

You can find out more about the differences between a lawyer and notary public or read up on other notary public topics in our notary resources section.

What To Expect From Vancouver Downtown Notary

At Vancouver Downtown Notary, our practicing lawyers are capable of providing legal advice and representation. This means that we are capable of notarizing any document you may have – and be able to give you andy and all legal advice for services such as the sale of property.

We can provide any services that can be expected of a notary public – and more. But just because we are also able to provide legal advice, does not mean that our prices are much higher than other notaries public.

It is generally a misconception that lawyers are much more expensive than notaries public in performing a notarization. In truth – both are highly competitive.

If you have any further questions on the services of a notary public in Vancouver, or whether or not a notary public or lawyer is for you, please contact our notary office and we will respond in a timely manner.