What does a notary public do?

What a notary public does is witness the signing of the documents and ask each party to take an oath of authenticity. A notary license holder is a person legally authorized by a state to administer oaths, take acknowledgments, and certify documents. A notary will not exercise any power or jurisdiction in criminal cases.

A notary must ensure that the person signing a document to be notarized is who they say they are. Because identities are critical, a notary public may also spend some time verifying the names of the parties involved in the signing.

One misconception about a notary license is that your official signature and/or raised seal automatically makes a document ‘true and legal’. Documents certified by notaries public are stamped with the notary’s seal and are recorded by the notary public in a register they keep.

The licensee’s stamp shall be a press stamp or a rubber stamp. These will be the exclusive property of the notary. Your signature and seal are required to authenticate signatures on many legal documents. They then verify the person’s identity, usually with a driver’s license, press the stamp on the document, and sign it.

If you are an inpatient, you may also ask your nurse or unit secretary to arrange for a notary public at no charge. Additionally, mailbox stores, copy services, and banks often provide notary services to the public.

Authentication of a notary public’s signature is often required when dealing with foreign and other jurisdictions. The public can access this record and verify the “official” signature of the notary at the county clerk’s office. Otherwise, a sample of the Notary’s signature and seal must first be authenticated by the appropriate provincial authority responsible for Notaries Public.

Each holder of a license will have a seal of his position, which will be affixed to his publication instruments and to his protests. The mandate is usually four years from the effective date specified in the notarial commission. The Office of the Secretary of State conducts random background checks on individuals who submit new or renewed applications for a notary public license. The applicant may not act as a Notary Public until he receives his certificate of appointment from this office. The designated licensee may begin certifying documents after receiving a certificate of appointment from the Secretary of State.