Notary Public in Sweden – notarization & document attestation
Need a notary public to attest a copy, witness a signature or notarize a power of attorney? DOX helps individuals and companies through the entire process — we handle submission, collection and return so you don't need to book an appointment yourself.
Notarization is often the first step before apostille or embassy legalization, but may also be required for documents used within Sweden. We handle every type of document: powers of attorney, certified copies of passports and IDs, certificates, translations, corporate documents and life certificates (Lebensbescheinigung).
What is a Notary Public?
Notarius Publicus (NP) is a state-appointed lawyer authorized to attest information, witness signatures, issue apostilles and verify translations. In Sweden the Notary Public is appointed by each county administrative board under Act (1981:1363) on Notary Publics.
NP is the only authority in Sweden empowered to issue an apostille (since 2005) and is recognized by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and foreign embassies as part of the legalization chain. For many international purposes notarization is mandatory before a document can be used abroad.
A Notary Public is impartial and the service is public. The activity is regulated by law, which makes a notarization legally binding and broadly accepted in both Swedish and international contexts.
When is notarization required?
Notarization is required when a document is to be used in an official context where an independent authority must confirm its authenticity, the signer's identity, or that a copy matches the original.
Common situations:
- ✓power of attorney for use abroad or with a public authority
- ✓certified copy of passport or ID for apostille / embassy legalization
- ✓life certificate (Lebensbescheinigung) for foreign pension payouts
- ✓translation that needs notarization before apostille
- ✓corporate documents and signatory certificates for use abroad
- ✓agreements and contracts with international counterparties
- ✓attestation of signatures on wills, deeds of gift or prenuptial agreements
- ✓documents to be apostilled or legalized at an embassy
What does a Notary Public do?
A Notary Public performs six core services under Swedish law. DOX handles all of them — you don't need to book an appointment yourself.
Witness signatures
NP confirms that you personally signed the document in their presence. Required for powers of attorney, wills and contracts intended for use abroad.
Certify copies
NP attests that a copy matches the original. Most common for passports, ID cards, university diplomas and school transcripts.
Issue apostille
Since 2005, NP is the only Swedish authority that can issue an apostille under the Hague Convention.
Confirm a person is alive
Life certificate / Lebensbescheinigung — a common requirement for foreign pension providers (Germany, Italy, USA and others).
Attest translations
NP confirms that an authorized translation has been performed by a translator certified by the Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency (Kammarkollegiet).
Other attestations
NP can certify other matters where their statement carries evidentiary weight — such as confirming that a document was filed on a specific date or that a signature is genuine.
Common documents we notarize
DOX helps both private individuals and companies with notarization of most types of documents.
Personal documents
- power of attorney (general or special)
- copy of passport or national ID
- copy of driver's licence
- life certificate (Lebensbescheinigung)
- wills and prenuptial agreements
- deeds of gift and estate inventories
- adoption documents
- attested signatures on contracts
Education and employment documents
- university or college diplomas
- high school transcripts and final grades
- course certificates
- professional certificates and licences
- employer references
- authorized translations (for attestation)
- CVs with attested signatures
Corporate and legal documents
- signatory certificates from the Companies Registration Office
- articles of association and shareholder meeting minutes
- board resolutions and CEO powers of attorney
- agreements and contracts with foreign counterparties
- certified copies of registration certificates
- deeds of sale and property transfers
- court documents and service of process
- insurance documents for international use
Notary Publics in Sweden
Notary Publics are available in all major Swedish cities. DOX has partnerships with several offices and can book an appointment at the city that suits you best — or handle the case entirely without you needing to visit any office.
📍 Stockholm
Multiple NP offices in the city centre. Most common for international cases.
📍 Gothenburg
NP in central Gothenburg. Fast handling for western Sweden.
📍 Malmö
NP in Malmö centre. Convenient for Skåne customers and Denmark-bound cases.
📍 Uppsala
NP near the university — common choice for diploma attestation.
📍 Lund
NP for students and academic documents.
📍 Linköping, Norrköping, Örebro, Västerås, Helsingborg and more
NPs are also available in mid-sized cities. Get in touch and we'll find the closest option.
DOX handles submission and return — you don't need to visit a Notary Public yourself. We accept documents from across Sweden (and from Norway, Denmark and Finland).
Notarization, apostille or full legalization?
Notarization is often only the first step. What you need beyond it depends on the destination country and document type.
✓ Notarization
- ✓attestation or witnessing by NP
- ✓sufficient for many Swedish purposes
- ✓often required as the first step for use abroad
- ✓from 595 SEK
- ✓standard 2–4 business days
Notarization + Apostille
- →NP attests → NP issues apostille
- →for countries party to the Hague Convention (USA, UK, Germany, China, etc.)
- →no embassy visit required
- →from 695 SEK (total)
- →standard 3–5 business days
Full legalization chain
- →NP → MFA → embassy
- →for non-Hague Convention countries (UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt, etc.)
- →three authorities, longer turnaround
- →from 1,595 SEK
- →standard 7–14 business days
Unsure which path applies? Send us the document type and destination country and we'll respond within 24 hours — free of charge.
How notarization works at DOX
Order online
You describe the document, destination country and whether you need just notarization or also apostille / embassy legalization. We respond with a fixed price and timeline.
Send the document
Send the original document to us by registered post or courier. We verify that it meets NP's requirements before submission.
Submission to the Notary Public
We submit the document to one of our partner NP offices in Stockholm. If physical presence is required (e.g. signature witnessing) we book an appointment so you only need a brief in-person visit.
Attestation and stamp
The Notary Public performs the attestation — witnesses the signature, certifies the copy or issues the apostille depending on the case. The stamp and attestation are added to the document.
Secure return
The notarized document is returned with tracked delivery. If needed we proceed directly with MFA legalization or embassy submission.
How long does notarization take?
Standard handling is 2–4 business days from when we receive your document. For urgent cases we offer express handling with delivery in 1–2 business days.
Time depends on document type, whether complementary services are needed (apostille, translation, MFA) and postal transit. If your case is urgent — contact us before submission and we'll prioritize it.
Time may be affected by:
- whether complementary services are needed (apostille, MFA, translation)
- NP availability and case queue
- whether physical presence is required (signature witnessing)
- postal transit in and back
- public holidays in Sweden or the destination country
Urgent? Call us directly on +46 8 409 419 00 — we prioritize express cases.
Delivery times →What does notarization cost?
DOX offers fixed prices with no hidden fees. What you pay depends on the number of documents, complementary services and the tier you choose.
From 595 SEK incl. VAT
Express from 1,195 SEK
Notarization is often included in a legalization package — if you need both notarization and apostille the total starts at 695 SEK. For the full legalization chain (NP + MFA + embassy) the package starts at 1,595 SEK.
Order notarization nowPrices →When notarization isn't enough
Notarization is often just the start. Documents intended for use abroad usually require additional steps: apostille (for Hague Convention countries) or embassy legalization (for non-Hague countries).
DOX handles the entire chain in a single flow — you submit the document once, we handle NP, apostille / MFA and any embassy submission for you. Saves both time and shipping costs.
Countries where notarization needs supplementing:
Frequently asked questions about notarization
What is the difference between notarization and apostille?
When do I have to visit the Notary Public in person?
Can I attest a copy of my own passport?
What does the Notary Public charge?
Do I need to translate the document before notarization?
How do I send the document to you?
Is notarization legally binding?
Can companies use your service for multiple documents?
Other services and countries
Order notarization with DOX
We handle the entire process for you — submission, optional apostille, translation and return. Send the document once, get it back complete.