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Notarised Translation Services

A notarised translation is a certified translation that a UK notary has formally witnessed, signed and sealed. Overseas authorities, embassies and some courts ask for it; the Home Office and most UK universities normally accept certification on its own.

Notarised translations for UK and overseas use, where a practising UK notary witnesses and seals the translator's certification. DHCTranslations handles the translation, certification and notarisation in one order, and can add an FCDO apostille with our Express Service or Urgent Service when the receiving country requires legalisation.

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    Compliant With Standards Set By Leading UK Authorities & Professional Bodies

    UK Home Office
    HM Courts & Tribunals
    FCDO Apostille
    CIOL Member Translators
    UK Supreme Courts
    NHS & Universities

    *Authority names are referenced as industry benchmarks of compliance. All official translation orders are processed directly through DHCTranslations.

    Which Do You Need?

    Certified or notarised?

    The two are often confused. Certification comes from the translation provider; notarisation is a separate legal step performed by a notary, and it is only needed when the receiving body asks for it.

    Certified translation

    Our signed statement of accuracy, with the translator's details and the date, attached to the translation.

    • Translator's signed statement
    • Agency contact details
    • Accepted for most UK submissions

    Usually enough for the Home Office, UK courts and universities

    Notarised translation

    A UK notary witnesses the translator's signature and attaches their own signature and seal to the document.

    • Notary seal and signature
    • Required by many overseas bodies
    • Can be followed by an FCDO apostille

    Asked for when the receiving authority requires it

    Common Cases

    When notarisation is usually required

    These are the situations where a receiving authority asks for a notary rather than the translator's certification alone. Check with the organisation requesting the document, then tell us what they have asked for and we will quote the matching service.

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    • Property and inheritance abroad
    • Powers of attorney
    • Overseas court and tribunal filings
    • Embassy and consular submissions
    • Company filings in another country
    • Certified copies for foreign authorities
    Streamlined Workflow

    How a notarised translation order works

    Three steps from a scan to a notarised document, with an FCDO apostille added only if the receiving authority asks for one.

    Using this document outside the UK?

    We arrange FCDO apostilles with our Express Service (6-7 working days) or Urgent Service (3-4 working days), including notarisation where the receiving authority requires it.

    Get an Apostille Quote
    Pricing

    What a notarised order costs

    Every notarised order is quoted individually, because the notary fee depends on the document and on availability. Translation, notarisation and any apostille or courier charge appear as separate lines in the quote before you pay. Translation starts from £40 for a single document, and beyond 400 words the rate is £0.09 per word into English.

    Language Coverage

    Most frequently requested languages we translate

    These are the languages our clients ask for most often, but they are only a fraction of what we cover. We translate 200+ language pairs, so if yours is not listed, just ask.

    View the full language list
    Verified Google Business Reviews

    What our clients say

    Rated 4.9/5 from 314 verified reviews for Home Office applications, court-ready Statements of Truth and UK ENIC submissions.

    “My degree certificate was translated, notarised and apostilled in one order, and the overseas university accepted it first time.”

    EC

    Elena C.

    “The notary appointment was arranged for me and the sealed translation arrived by tracked courier.”

    MR

    Marc R.

    “Needed a notarised birth certificate for a property purchase abroad, and the whole chain was handled without me chasing anyone.”

    FN

    Fatima N.

    Knowledge Base

    Frequently asked questions

    DHCTranslations arranges the certified translation, the UK notary and, where needed, an FCDO apostille in one order. The organisation requesting the document decides whether notarisation is needed, so check with them first; send us what they have asked for and we will quote the matching service.

    It is a certified translation that a practising UK notary has witnessed, signed and sealed. The notary is confirming the translator's signature and the document in front of them, not re-translating it. The result carries both the translator's certification and the notary's seal.

    It depends on the receiving body. The Home Office, UK courts and most universities accept a certified translation. Many overseas authorities, embassies and some foreign courts ask for notarisation. Check the requirement first; a certified translation is enough for most UK submissions.

    Every notarised order is quoted individually, because the notary fee depends on the document and on availability. Translation, notarisation and any apostille or courier charge appear as separate lines. Send the pages and tell us the destination for an itemised quote.

    Translation comes first, then the notary appointment, which depends on their availability and the document. If an apostille follows, add 6–7 working days with our Express Service or 3–4 working days with our Urgent Service, plus courier time. All timings are confirmed in your quote.

    No. Scans or photographs are enough for the translation. Some notaries want to see the original or a certified copy before they will attest, and we tell you if that applies before anything is posted. Where originals are required, they are returned by tracked delivery.

    Yes. The translation is prepared here and notarised by a UK notary, which makes it a UK document. That matters for legalisation: the FCDO cannot apostille the foreign original, but it can apostille the notarised translation once the notary has sealed it.

    Yes. We submit the notarised document to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and courier it back, with our Express Service or Urgent Service. See apostille services for eligibility and timings.

    Yes, though it is usually unnecessary. The Home Office asks for a certified translation with a signed statement of accuracy, which is what we supply, so notarisation adds cost rather than weight to a visa application. Check the current guidance for your route; we are not immigration advisers.

    Yes, where the destination is outside the Hague Apostille Convention. The document then usually needs consular legalisation through its embassy after notarisation. We can arrange that chain, but the embassy sets its own fees and timings, so it is quoted separately once we know the destination.

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