We Provide Any Type of Notarization for General Public and Law Offices
Financial and legal transactions often require lots of trust between the parties. Each party must trust the authenticity of documents and signatures from the other parties. One common way to authenticate documents is to notarize them. Here is how the process of document notarization happens.
Appear in Person
The primary purpose of a notary public is to verify the signature and identity of the signatories physically. You must appear in person during the signing and execution of the notary document. You must be in the same room as the notary. The notary should also hear you speak and see you are under no duress to sign the document.
You can’t send another person to sign or witness the signing on your behalf. Even if the notary knows you in person, you must still go to the signing. Notaries can also not perform a notarial act via telephone, email, or other telecommunication equipment. However, a few states allow notaries to conduct notarial acts via video conferencing.
Physical appearance means that the notary public can confirm that:
- The signer of the document is alive or exists.
- The signer is the person who they claim to be.
- The signer is signing the document voluntarily and is not being forced or manipulated.
The notary public also must confirm that the signer is of sound mind and can understand the document’s details.
Identify the Signer
The notary public will identify you and confirm that you are who you say you are. For instance, the notary public can ask you to produce various personal identification documents such as a driving license or birth certificate. A sworn witness personally known by the signer can also help to confirm your identity. In other cases, at least two credible witnesses who know you personally and have verifiable identification can confirm your identity.
Examine the Document
The notary public cannot certify a document that contains blanks. That is because somebody can add information to that document later on. Instead, the signatories must agree on what to fill in the blanks. If there is no information to put in the blanks, write N/A or something equivalent to void the spaces.
The signatories also have to choose the notarial act that must be completed. Sometimes the notary public can scan the document to know which notary acts require completion but can’t decide what to notarize. If the signers don’t know what to notarize, the notary public will have to direct them to seek clarification from the person who prepared the document or the one who will receive the document.
An attorney can also help the signers to understand what notary acts exist in the document.
Sign and Date the Document
The next step is for both parties to stamp and sign the document. Once all parties have signed the document and the notary public has appended their signature, the document will become legally binding.
Enter the Notarial Act in the Journal
Mistakes can still occur even when the notary public follows all the steps. Discrepancies or fraud can mar an otherwise seamless notary process. As a result, a notary public has a detailed journal to record information and prevent accusations of wrongdoing.
The journal includes details such as the time and date of notarization, type of notarial certificate, and location of notarization. The notary public can also indicate a brief description of the notary document in the journal and the identities of the signatories.
Document notarization helps make your document authentic and legal. If you want to notarize a document, NB Notaries can help you. We also provide escrow and legal services. Contact us for more information.
