Why Do I Need A Notary? What Does a Notary Do?
These are the two most asked questions when it comes to getting a document notarized. To give the quickest and most direct answer, a notary makes sure that the person signing a document is, indeed, that person. As well, a notary acts as a witness to the signing of important documents such as Deeds, Wills, and Powers of Attorney.
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A notary's responsibilities extend further, though. They must ensure that someone is signing a document of their own free will and is not being coerced to do so. They must ensure that the signer is of the right state of mind and is aware of what they are signing. Yes, these are subjective ideas. However, if a notary has doubts about the intent or someone's mental capacity, they can refuse to notarize the document.
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In basic terms, a notary is there to prevent fraud. A notary checks ID's, does a cursory check of the signers cognitive abilities or state of mind, and also examines the document for completeness. If a document is not completely filled out, a notary should refuse to notarize. Why? Because someone could write in names, initials, numbers, etc after the document is notarized, which could change the document in a fraudulent way.
What CAN'T a notary do?
A notary is not a lawyer. With this in mind, notary's are, by law, unable to answer questions about the content of a document. Are the numbers correct? How do I sign this? Is the wording correct? These are all questions a notary CANNOT answer. A notary is there ONLY to identify the signer, make sure they are mentally capable of understanding what they are signing (or to make sure they are not being coerced into signing against their will), and that the document is complete. If a notary was to answer these questions, he would in essence be practicing law and only attorneys are able to do that.
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If you have questions about the document you want notarized, consult with a lawyer or ask the agency that is requesting the document for clarity. This step should be completed before you seek the notary's services.
What do I need to bring to a notarization?
If you need a document notarized, you need two things: the document to be notarized and a valid form of identification. A valid form of identification is a state issued driver's license or ID, a passport, or an accepted government issued ID that has your picture, a physical description of you (height, weight, eye color, etc), a serial number or some identifying number, and either an expiration date or issuance date.