Notary services

Notary services

Updated 4 November 2026

Notarising one page in South Africa costs about R 950 plus VAT, and a standard affidavit can cost from R 700 to R 2,500 or more, depending on the document and the notary's rates. Fees are not fixed, so the quickest way to a current price is a request on BlaBlaPrice. Describe the document and your city, and offers come back in the chat.

What the fee includes

Notary fees vary with the service level, and some firms give an exact price only after they hear the facts of the matter. The price lists in the results show different things: one quotes a fee per page, another a fee per document, and some quote a walk-in service separately. One Johannesburg service quotes R 1,350 with same-day service, and R 2,950 for a document that takes 2 to 3 working days. Ask whether the figure excludes VAT, because several lists say so.

Timing and the season

November is early summer in South Africa, and summer runs from December to February while winter runs from June to August. The season has little effect on notary work. The timing that matters is the number of working days the notary needs: notarisation usually takes 1 to 2 working days, while a DIRCO apostille can take 5 to 10 working days through an appointment.

Apostilles and what to check

If a document is for use abroad, an apostille is often needed on top of notarisation, and the two are often quoted separately. One Pretoria notary lists a High Court apostille at R 950 with one working day, and a DIRCO apostille or authentication at the same fee with 5 to 10 working days. Check which one your document needs before you book, because the cost and the timing differ.

What to write in your request

Name the notarial act, such as notarisation of a document, an attestation of identity and signature, an affidavit, or an antenuptial contract. Give the number of pages, your city, the date you need the document by, and whether the parties can go to a notary's office or need a notary call-out. Attach a photo of the document if you have one, and add your budget in rand.

Getting offers is free for buyers. You describe the notarial act in a chat, and BlaBlaPrice's AI asks which pages, which city and when, then looks through sellers' websites and price lists in South Africa and shows what it finds. Sellers registered on BlaBlaPrice reply in the chat with their own offer, and your contacts stay hidden until you decide to share them. For related services, see Legal services or Inheritance & probate.