| By Ntsikelelo | | | | photograph and not the photograph. The name on the |
| Documents are notarized to prevent fraud and protect | | | | document does not match the name on the ID |
| the parties to ensure that the signing party signature is | | | | presented to you - You should not notarize such |
| authenticated. A notary public acts as an impartial | | | | document. You must full satisfy yourself of the identity |
| witness to identify the signers to screen out impostors | | | | of the person appearing before you before notarizing |
| while making sure documents are willingly signed and | | | | any document. Blank or incomplete documents - |
| that the signing party has the mental capacity to sign | | | | Documents should not be notarized unless they are |
| such. A Notary Public is an individual who satisfies an | | | | complete and have no blank spaces. It is just that |
| individual state's requirements and obtains a notary | | | | simple! It will be very easy to alter a document with |
| commission to witness to the authenticity of an | | | | blanks or that is incomplete after it has been notarized. |
| individual's signatures and/or signors' identities on many | | | | You're flirting with trouble here. Faxed or copied |
| important documents. Requirements for obtaining a | | | | signatures - A photocopy or faxed document may be |
| notary commission vary widely from state to state. | | | | notarized as long as it bears an original signature, |
| Some states require notaries to take educational | | | | meaning the copy must have been signed with pen |
| classes other requires continuing education. There are | | | | and ink. A photocopied signature may never be |
| states, which require notaries to be bonded. All states | | | | notarized. Wills - Wills are particular sensitive |
| pretty much require notaries to swear or take an oath | | | | documents that can provide problems for a notary. |
| to adhere to the laws that governing. Some | | | | Some handwritten (holographic) wills maybe invalidated |
| documents require that they be signed in the presence | | | | by having them notarized. It is best practices to only |
| of a notary public while others do not have to be | | | | notarize a will only after the signer has contacted their |
| signed in a notary's presence. There are certain | | | | attorney who has provided the notarial wording to be |
| documents that cannot be notarized by a notary public. | | | | used and have instructed the signer to have the |
| Below is a list of documents that cannot be witnessed | | | | document notarized. Documents that the notary is a |
| or notarized by a notary public. Birth Certificates - | | | | party to - A notary may never notarize any document |
| Usually what a person requires is a certified copy of | | | | if the notary public has a financial interest in or is a |
| the birth record, which can usually be obtained from | | | | party to the underlying document. This also applies to |
| the State Bureau of Vital Statistics. Notarizing a birth | | | | any document that witnesses the notary's own |
| document or copy thereof is prohibited. Photographs - | | | | signature. Completely taboo! |
| Notarizing photographs is not an authorized notarial act | | | | Ntsikelelo is the Founder and COO of QEC Internet |
| in the United States. You may notarize a written | | | | Services, an Internet Marketing Technologist. The QEC |
| statement concerning a photograph with the | | | | family currently includes: and He is a recognized writer, |
| photograph as an attachment. In this way you are | | | | speaker and educator. |
| notarizing a sworn written statement concerning the | | | | |