What we do at the counter every day
- Administering an oath and taking an affidavit. The most common notarial act. The deponent appears, swears to the contents, and the act is entered in the notarial register.
- Attesting the execution of an instrument. Certifying that a named person signed the document in the Notary's presence — agreements, deeds, declarations, undertakings.
- Certifying a true copy. Confirming that a photocopy is a true copy of the original produced. Required constantly for admissions, tenders, bank files and visa applications. The original must be produced — a Notary cannot certify one copy against another.
- Signature and identity attestation. Certifying that the named person signed before the Notary.
- Certified translation. Gujarati, English and Hindi. Section 8(1)(h) of the Notaries Act, 1952 expressly empowers a Notary to translate and verify translations.
- Documents intended to take effect outside India — prepared, attested or authenticated in a form and language conforming to the law of the place where they are to operate. The first step before MEA attestation or apostille.
- Noting and protest of a dishonoured promissory note, hundi or bill of exchange, and acts of honour under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.
Section 8(2) of the Notaries Act, 1952 provides that no act is a notarial act except when done by a Notary under his signature and official seal. Rule 12 of the Notaries Rules, 1956 prescribes that seal: plain, circular, 5 cm across, bearing the Notary's name, the area of appointment, the registration number, the expiry date, the circumscription NOTARY and the name of the appointing Government. If a document you have been given carries a signature but no seal, it has not been notarised.
What the notarial fee actually is
Rule 10 of the Notaries Rules, 1956 sets maximum rates. A Notary may charge less; he may never charge more. The figures below are the rates currently in force — the older amounts still reproduced on many websites are long superseded.
| Act | Maximum fee |
|---|---|
| Verifying, authenticating, certifying or attesting the execution of an instrument | ₹35 |
| Administering an oath to, or taking an affidavit from, any person | ₹35 |
| Certifying copies of documents as true copies of the original | ₹10 per page (min ₹20) |
| Translating and verifying the translation of a document | ₹100 |
| Preparing an instrument intended to take effect outside India | ₹200 |
| Attesting or authenticating such an instrument | ₹200 |
| Presenting a promissory note, hundi or bill of exchange | ₹50 |
| Noting an instrument (by value) | ₹50 – ₹200 |
| Protesting an instrument (by value) | ₹50 – ₹200 |
| Travelling allowance, by road or rail | ₹20 per km |
Source: Rule 10, Notaries Rules, 1956, as currently in force. Rule 10(2) requires a Notary to display his rates conspicuously inside and outside his office — ours are displayed at the counter as well as here.
Rule 10 governs the notarial act only. Stamp duty under the Gujarat Stamp Act, 1958 is a government charge which we collect at face value as an authorised e-Stamping centre. Drafting and typing are a professional charge. We quote all three separately. Full breakdown of what a document costs →
What to bring
Photo identity for every person who has to sign — Aadhaar is easiest — and the underlying paper that gives rise to the document: the certificate whose name is wrong, the property papers, the death certificate, the bank's letter, the RTO forms. Where the document is being sworn on behalf of a firm or company, bring the authority to sign.
The deponent must attend in person. An oath is administered to a person, not to a document, and no Notary can lawfully swear an affidavit for someone who is not there. If the person cannot travel, we come to them.
Two things a Notary is also empowered to do
Inserted by the Notaries (Amendment) Act, 1999 and almost universally overlooked: a Notary may act as a Commissioner to record evidence in a civil or criminal trial when so directed by any court or authority, and may act as an arbitrator, mediator or conciliator where the parties so require. If a court has directed that evidence be recorded on commission, or if parties in a commercial dispute want a conciliator rather than a lawsuit, this office can take that on.