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