We have two official Notaries on staff here at Mail & Business and, for the most part, there is someone in the shop to tend to your notary needs during regular business hours. When you enter the shop, you can proceed to the front right-hand counter with the sign “Notary Services Here” and we will gladly notarize your documents quickly for only $2 for each notarization. The only requirement is that you have a current State or Federally-issued identification card. We are authorized to identify the document’s signer, make a journal record of the notarization, ascertain your willingness and competence to sign and fill our the certificate wording at the end of the document.

There are, however, some things a Notary cannot do. There are also things that a Notary is encouraged not to do and, as a shop policy, we follow those suggestions pretty conservatively.

A Notary cannot merely stamp and sign you document to make it “official”

It is a completely meaningless act for a Notary to merely stamp and sign any document — this does not constitute a valid and legal notarization.

Why not? Because every notarization requires certificate wording to indicate exactly what the Notary is certifying. If there is no certificate wording preprinted at the end of your document, then you must find out the required wording from the office that issued the document, or the office where it is to be filed.

All states prohibit Notaries from using their seals to make documents “look official”

A Notary cannot explain or attempt to help you understand your document

It is illegal for Notaries who are not attorneys to help you prepare your documents, especially important documents that might have legal ramifications. A Notary that offers such assistance may be fined or imprisoned for the unauthorized practice of law.

We cannot explain words or phrases to you. We cannot give you any advice about how to proceed with a document. We are actually prohibited by state law from doing so!

Even answering seemingly harmless questions like, “What goes in this space?” or, “What does this mean?” or, “Is this the only document I need?” can get the Notary in BIG trouble. If you need help filling out your document, call the office that gave you the document or the office where you will file it. Or, contact your attorney.

A Notary cannot notarize a birth certificate

Despite what you may have been told by a travel agency or an airline, a Notary cannot notarize a birth certificate. Only a custodian of vital records can properly certify an original or copy of a birth certificate because only that official can verify that the birth information is correct and accurate.

Remember, all states prohibit Notaries from using their seals to make documents “look official” — simply making a photocopy of your birth certificate and asking a Notary to stamp and sign it is improper.

A Notary cannot notarize or certify a photograph

Notaries have no authority to notarize or certify photographs. It just can’t lawfully be done, even for a foreign passport or medical license application. Unfortunately, foreign governments and misinformed US agencies sometimes demand that Notaries perform actions (such as notarizing a photograph) that statues give them no authority to do!

One solution to this dilemma is your notarized signature beneath your written statement (“This is a photograph of myself… etc…”) on a paper attached to the photo or on the back of the photo, if it is large enough. With this solution, the Notary is certifying the genuineness of your signature and not the photograph.

A Notary cannot sign and stamp an incomplete document

It would be foolish for a Notary to notarize a blank or incomplete document — in the same way it would be foolish for you to sign a blank or incomplete check!

Signing blank or incomplete documents may facilitate fraud and often results in lawsuits, both criminal and civil. Complete your document first! If certain spaces don’t apply, line through or initial them, or write “N/A” (“Not Applicable”) in the blank.

A Notary cannot notarize a document for a person who is not present

If you’re asking a Notary to notarize the signature of a person who is not present, you’re requesting a criminal act! Both you and the Notary could go to jail, be fined or both!

Society trusts the Notary to personally screen each signer for identity, willingness and competence. This is impossible if the signer is not face to face before the Notary at the time of notarization. Under law, your word alone is not good enough.

The document signer MUST appear face to face before the Notary at the time of the notarization — not before, not later. It is a criminal act to persuade the Notary to violate this rule.

A Notary is required to scan your document for completeness

You can’t hide your document from the Notary by presenting just the signature page of a document. Certainly, your document may be very private and no one has any business reading it. However, the Notary does have the right to hold and quickly scan the document to ascertain certain particulars about it for the record — such as it’s title (or general type), it’s date, the name(s) of its signer(s), the number of pages and whether it contains any incomplete spaces that would make notarization inadvisable.

Remember, you go to a Notary to protect your rights by having your signature in a document validated and the existence of your document noted in the public record. For this protection, you necessarily must give up some privacy.

Notarizing a document in a foreign language can get tricky

Technically, a notary public can notarize a signature on a document in a foreign language with which they are not familiar, since a notary public’s function only relates to the signature and not the contents of the document.

However, the Notary should be able to identify the type of document being notarized. If the title of the document is unclear or the Notary is unable to understand the title, he/she can refuse to the notarize the document.

In addition, a Notary must be able to communicate with their customer in order for the signer to either swear to or affirm the contents of the affidavit or to acknowledge the execution of the document. An interpreter should not be used, as vital information could be lost in the translation. If a notary public is unable to communicate with a customer, the customer should find a notary that speaks the customer’s language.

It is our right to refuse to notarize a document if anything about the interaction makes us feel uneasy or if the appropriate documents or items necessary for notarization are missing, expired or appear suspicious or fraudulent. If we refuse to notarize your document, please understand that we are protecting ourselves legally and not passing a judgement onto you.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to give us a call or stop by the shop.