Why do documents require notarization?
Most importantly to deter fraud. To help protect the legal rights of the persons whose signatures are being notarized. It is the legal responsibility of the notary, serving as an impartial witness and public official, to ensure that the signers of notarized documents are indeed who they claim to be. Can a document with blank lines be notarized? A notary public may not notarize a document that is incomplete (Government Section 8205). This if for the public’s protection from the widespread occurrence of fraud. Is notarization required by law? For certain documents, yes. Many affidavits, real estate deeds, loan papers, powers of attorney, and other types of documents must be properly notarized to become legally binding. Oftentimes one of the simplest ways to determine whether a document requires notarization is to examine it- specifically, in the vicinity of the signature area- for notarial wording, such as “…subscribed and sworn to before me…”or”…acknowledged to…” Such wording va
A. To prevent fraud a notary public will ensure that the signer of a document is who they claim to be. Q. Does notarization guarantee that the document is correct, true or legal? A. No. A notary public must verify the identity of the signer but is not responsible for the contents of the document. Signers of the document are responsible for the contents; in the case of a jurat, signers swear or affirm to the truthfulness of the document. Q. Can a document that contains blank spaces be notarized? A. No. The document should be completed before notarization. The signer or notary may line through areas that are blank; this will prevent fraudulent information from being entered on the documents at a later time. Q. Can a fax or photocopy be notarized? A. Yes, if the document has an original signature. Copied or faxed signatures cannot be notarized so please check your documents. Q. What identification is required for notarization? A. Each signer must present at least one of the forms of ID li
Most importantly to deter fraud. Also to help protect the legal rights of the persons whose signatures are being notarized. It is the legal responsibility of the notary, serving as an impartial witness and public official, to ensure that the signers of notarized documents are indeed who they claim to be.
