Notary Public Service

A notary not only follows what is dictated in state law but exercises subjective judgment on matters such as the state of mind of the signer, the signer’s comprehension of the transaction, or whether fraud or coercion are present.

The notary conveys the facts of a notarial act/transaction by completing an official statement called the “notarial certificate.” The notarial certificate is always signed, and often sealed (depending on state requirements) by the notary. The notarial certificate commonly appears at the end of a document or is attached to the document as a separate sheet. The most familiar notarial certificate language reads substantially like: “Acknowledged before me by (Signer’s Name) this (date) day of (month), (year)” or “Sworn/affirmed and subscribed (signed) before me this (date) day of (month), (year).”

A notary’s specific, authorized duties vary by state but can include:

• Administer oaths and affirmations >/li>
• Take and certify the acknowledgment of a document
• Issue protests of notes and bills
• Witness the opening of safe deposit boxes and certify a list of contents
• Perform civil marriage ceremonies