Notarial certification
A notarial certification means to give a document or a signature a public validation. The person that makes notarial certifications is called notarius publicus.

When do I need a notarial certification?
If you are going to use a document abroad, you will often be asked about a notarially certified copy of the original document. But you will also need to obtain notarially certified copies of the original documents or signatures in many other situations. Usually it will be foreign authorities, an organisation or a company that asks you to get a notarially certified copy of the original documents before they can accept the documents.

Who carries out notarial certifications?
Notarial certifications are carried out at the district courts and The Office of the City Recorder of Stavanger and Oslo. Also the rural police authority may do notarial certifications but this is usually limited to certify the validity of signatures and issue life confirmations. The latter may be necessary to receive social security payments etc from abroad. Besides notarial certification may be carried out at the Foreign Office and at District Governors office at Svalbard. In East-Finnmark the Chief of Police may do notarial certification. Head of the register unit at the Brønnøysund Register Centre may issue notarial certifications of transcripts from the register centre and to certify correct copies of documents from the archive of The Brønnøysund Registre Centre.

How do I go about?
When you are being asked to notarially certify a document, you make an inquiry at notarius publicus with the document and explain what need to be validated. You will then be told about the necessary documentation you have to present.

What may be notarially certified?
Notarius publicus may issue different types of notarial certifications dependant of what kind of document it is and the documentation that can be presented.

The most used forms of notarial confirmation:
· Confirmation of signature. This will be done at personal attendance and identification. For legitimation accepts passport, bankcard and a new driver’s licence. This sort of confirmation may be needed for letters of authority to representatives abroad, letters of authority and deed of transfer concerning buying and selling of property abroad, documents in connection with adoption of children from foreign countries or documents concerning inheritance from abroad.

· Confirmation of signature and power of procuration in a company. . This will be done at personal attendance and with an identification and a company certificate from the Brønnøysund Register Centre. The company certificate has to be an original and normally not older than six months. This may be business contracts, letters of power or patent applications that need to be validated.

· Assurance on one’s honour. This is given in front of notarius publicus when you need to assure the correctness of what is written in the document. The wording of the document will decide whether this sort of confirmation is needed. It is mostly needed for documents to USA and Canada. You have to attend in person and bring your legitimation.

· Confirmation of correct copy. This is needed for documents that shall be used for foreign authorities. The purpose of the copies needs to be verified. Copies of certificates and testimonials for school- or work applications will not be confirmed by the notarius publicus. Those that have issued the documents or a copying bureau may confirm copies for these uses.

· Life confirmation. Such a confirmation may be needed in connection with a payment of pension from abroad. You have to attend in person and bring your legitimation.

· Protest on a promissory note. This will be carried out by notarius publicus when the owner of the promissory note wants to assure evidence of the time of presentation of the note for acceptance or payment.