A notary public is a licensed professional who serves as an impartial witness to the signing of important documents. They verify the identities of signers, ensure that are signing willingly, and confirm the documents authenticity.
Common documents that require notarization include wills, trusts, deeds, power of attorney, contracts, affidavits, and some immigration forms. However, notaries cant certify birth certificates or diplomas.
No, notaries are prohibited from offering legal advice or drafting legal documents. They can only witness the signing and verify identities.
Yes, a notary can refuse to notarize a document if it doesn’t meet legal requirements, if the signer isn’t properly identified, or if there’s reason to believe the signer is being coerced or doesn’t understand the document.
Bring a valid government-issued ID, such as driver’s license or passport, along with the documents(s) to be notarized. Make sure all documents are unsigned and complete except for the signature to be notarized. (For all acceptable ID’s please click on requirements tab).
The time required for notarization varies depending on the number of documents and the complexity of the transaction. Generally, it takes a few minutes per document.
Yes, I can notarize documents in languages other than English as long as I can communicate with you and ascertain the contents of the document. However, I am not a translator.