GENERAL SERVICES
- Marriage Licenses (lovemeknots.info)
- Carefully Crafted Custom Wedding Ceremonies
- Apostille / Apostillado
- Green Cards
- Visas
- US Citizenship
- Mobile Notary
- Acknowledgments
- Power of Attorney
- Jurats
- Affidavit
- Last Will
- Promissory Note
- Deed
- Consent Forms
- Guardianship Papers
- Oaths and Affirmations
- Medical Authorization Forms
- Copy Certification
- Proofs of Execution
- Trust Documents
- Lease Agreement
- Loan Agreement
- Bill of Sale
- Vehicle Title Transfer
- Employment Verification Letter
- Protests
- Certified Copy of Notary Record
What is a Notary Public?
A Notary Public is an official appointed by a state government to serve the public as an impartial witness during notarization. As ministerial officials, they are expected to follow statutory rules without the exercise of significant personal discretion.
Notaries Public certify the proper execution of many of the life-changing documents of private citizens — whether those transactions convey real estate, grant powers of attorney, establish a prenuptial agreement, or perform the multitude of other activities that enable our civil society to function.
Notaries perform notarization, or notarial acts, to deter fraud and establish that the signer understands the document they're signing, and that they're a willing participant in the transaction.
There are two primary responsibilities of Notaries: 1) Validate the signer’s identity and 2) Confirm the signer’s willingness and awareness to sign the document or complete the transaction.
Identifying the Signer
Generally, a Notary will ask for a current form of identification that has a photo, physical description, and signature. Acceptable IDs usually include a driver's license or passport.
Confirming Willingness and Awareness
Notaries will confirm both the signer's willingness to sign the document and their awareness of its implications. On occasion, Notaries encounter individuals who are being forced to sign a document, or whose health condition impairs their decision-making abilities. This is why Notaries are essential to preserving the public trust, as they ensure the integrity of documents while protecting the rights of all parties involved.
Some notarizations require the Notary to put the signer under an oath, declaring under penalty of perjury that the information contained in a document is true and correct.
What do Notary Signing Agents do?
The responsibilities of a Notary Signing Agent generally include printing loan documents, meeting the signer and notarizing their signature, and quickly returning the documents for processing. NSAs are also responsible for following any additional instructions from the lender, title company, or signing service that hires them for loan closing work. For example, an NSA may be asked to fax back documents right away or use a specific mailing service to return the paperwork safely.
Since Notary Signing Agents have access to private financial information about borrowers and are sent to their client's homes, the mortgage finance industry requires all Signing Agents to undergo a background screening on an annual basis. This helps prevent mortgage fraud and ensures the consumer's information is secure.
How to Review Your Documents Before Hiring a Notary Public?
You may contact the document issuer, its eventual recipient, or an attorney. We cannot give any advice on what type of document you need notarized and/or how you should fill it out.