Install Findmino as an app for the best experience!
Notary Public
(Public Notary, Notarial Officer, Civil Law Notary, Notary Signing Agent)
Law & Public Service
Salary
€70,000 - €130,000/yr
Level
Senior
Outlook
Stable
Sector
Law & Public Service
What does a Notary Public do?
As a Notary Public in Ireland, you authenticate and certify legal documents intended for use in foreign jurisdictions, ensuring they carry the necessary legal weight to be recognised abroad. Your day-to-day work involves examining documents such as contracts, deeds, powers of attorney, affidavits and statutory declarations, then witnessing signatures and applying your official notarial seal. You meet with clients — both private individuals and businesses — who require documents authenticated for property transactions, emigration, company matters or court proceedings in other countries. You work closely with solicitors, embassy officials, government departments and foreign legal practitioners to ensure that documents meet the specific requirements of the receiving jurisdiction.
A Day in the Life
Listen: a day as a Notary Public
You arrive at your office in the centre of Dublin at half eight, ahead of your first appointment at nine. You pour a coffee and check your diary: five client appointments today, plus three sets of documents sent over by solicitors' firms that need your attention before close of business. You open your email and find a query from a solicitor in Cork asking whether a particular power of attorney will be accepted by a Spanish notary without additional legalisation. You make a note to ring him after your first appointment. Your nine o'clock client is a woman in her forties who is selling a property in Portugal and needs a power of attorney authenticated so she can be represented by a lawyer in Lisbon. You examine her passport carefully, satisfy yourself as to her identity, and read through the document with her to confirm she understands what she is signing. Once she signs in your presence, you complete the notarial certificate, attach it to the document, and apply your official notarial seal. The whole appointment takes about forty minutes.
Videos about Notary Public
Anna Steward - Notary Public
icould career stories
Some videos were filmed in the UK. The work itself is the same, but the exams, qualifications and pay they mention are British — we include them so you get a feel for the job.
Required Education
Becoming a Notary Public in Ireland is a senior-level achievement built on an already established legal career. You must first qualify as a solicitor through the Law Society of Ireland, which requires a law degree or a postgraduate Professional Practice Course (PPC) at NFQ Level 9, followed by a training contract. After at least five years of active practice as a solicitor, you may apply to sit the examination set by the Faculty of Notaries Public in Ireland. Upon passing this examination, you are appointed by the Chief Justice of Ireland, making this one of the most senior forms of legal qualification in the State. Leaving Certificate subjects such as English, History and a modern language are a strong foundation for undergraduate law studies, and high CAO points are typically required for entry to an LLB or BCL programme at universities such as UCD, TCD, UCC or University of Galway.
Required Skills
Career Perspective
A career as a Notary Public in Ireland follows a long and structured path that begins with qualifying as a solicitor through the Law Society of Ireland and building at least five years of practice experience, typically in areas such as conveyancing, commercial law or probate. During this time, many solicitors develop a specialism that makes notarial work a natural extension of their practice. After appointment by the Chief Justice, most Notaries Public operate as part of an existing solicitor's practice, often as a principal or partner, with notarial services forming one strand of a broader legal offering. Over time, notaries can build a strong reputation and referral network, particularly among businesses engaged in international trade, Irish emigrants and multinational companies requiring cross-border documentation.
AI Impact on the job
AI tools are beginning to assist with document review, flagging inconsistencies and automating routine correspondence in legal practice, which may reduce some administrative burden for notaries. However, the core function of a Notary Public — personally witnessing signatures, applying an official seal and taking legal responsibility for authentication — requires a human professional by law and cannot be delegated to automated systems. The highly regulated and trust-dependent nature of notarial work means AI is more likely to serve as a support tool than a disruptive force in this area. Notaries who embrace AI-assisted document management and client communication tools may be able to handle a higher volume of work more efficiently.
Career Ladder
→ Notary Public (Current role)
Related Studies
Employers in Ireland
Organisations in Ireland that employ people in this occupation.
Dublin 2
Notarial services for corporate and commercial clients needing certified documents abroad.
Dublin 2
Notarises international transaction documents and powers of attorney for multinational clients.
Dublin 1
Provides notarial authentication for cross-border legal and corporate documents.
Dublin 2
Authenticates deeds, contracts and statutory declarations for international use.
Dublin 2
Offers notarial services to businesses and individuals requiring overseas document recognition.
Dublin 2
Certifies affidavits and corporate documents destined for foreign jurisdictions.
Dublin 2
Applies Apostille stamps to notarised documents for use in Hague Convention countries.
Cork / Dublin / Galway
Regional firm providing notarial certification for business and private clients.
Dublin 2
Global firm notarising documents for international corporate transactions and compliance.
Dublin City Centre
Specialist independent notarial practice serving individuals and businesses nationwide.
We don't know whether these employers currently have vacancies — always check their own website. And if there's somewhere you'd really love to work, it can be worth applying anyway, even without an open vacancy.
Our tools can help you with that:
This website uses cookies
We use functional cookies and — with your consent — cookies for preferences, statistics and marketing.