| Documents are notarized to prevent fraud and | | | | not notarize such document. You must full satisfy |
| protect the parties to ensure that the signing | | | | yourself of the identity of the person appearing |
| party signature is authenticated. A notary public | | | | before you before notarizing any document. |
| acts as an impartial witness to identify the signers | | | | Blank or incomplete documents - Documents |
| to screen out impostors while making sure | | | | should not be notarized unless they are complete |
| documents are willingly signed and that the signing | | | | and have no blank spaces. It is just that simple! It |
| party has the mental capacity to sign such. | | | | will be very easy to alter a document with blanks |
| Some documents require that they be signed in | | | | or that is incomplete after it has been notarized. |
| the presence of a notary public while others do | | | | You're flirting with trouble here. |
| not have to be signed in a notary’s | | | | Faxed or copied signatures - A photocopy or |
| presence. There are certain documents that | | | | faxed document may be notarized as long as it |
| cannot be notarized by a notary public. | | | | bears an original signature, meaning the copy |
| Below is a list of documents that cannot be | | | | must have been signed with pen and ink. A |
| witnessed or notarized by a notary public. | | | | photocopied signature may never be notarized. |
| Birth Certificates - Usually what a person requires | | | | Wills - Wills are particular sensitive documents that |
| is a certified copy of the birth record, which can | | | | can provide problems for a notary. Some |
| usually be obtained from the State Bureau of Vital | | | | handwritten (holographic) wills maybe invalidated |
| Statistics. Notarizing a birth document or copy | | | | by having them notarized. It is best practices to |
| thereof is prohibited. | | | | only notarize a will only after the signer has |
| Photographs - Notarizing photographs is not an | | | | contacted their attorney who has provided the |
| authorized notarial act in the United States. You | | | | notarial wording to be used and have instructed |
| may notarize a written statement concerning a | | | | the signer to have the document notarized. |
| photograph with the photograph as an | | | | Documents that the notary is a party to - A |
| attachment. In this way you are notarizing a | | | | notary may never notarize any document if the |
| sworn written statement concerning the | | | | notary public has a financial interest in or is a |
| photograph and not the photograph. | | | | party to the underlying document. This also applies |
| The name on the document does not match the | | | | to any document thatwitnesses the notary's own |
| name on the ID presented to you - You should | | | | signature. |