The process of notarization is usually quick and easy if you follow the correct procedure and ensure you adhere to all your jurisdiction’s requirements. Other legal documents also require notarization, such as documents granting someone else a power of attorney (POA) to oversee matters relating to the principal’s financial, property, and personal affairs. For example, notarization is required for affidavits, which are written statements used to prove the truthfulness of a matter, such as a residency proof letter, child travel, child support, and guardianship proof letter. Notarized letters may be required for any document that requires approval or notice for legal or business purposes. But if someone does try to pull this off, the notary’s seal and signature on the original document would allow you to challenge their forgery in court. Since notaries are one of the few parties that can be trusted to verify a signer’s identity and provide accurate record-keeping for a given signing, it is improbable that someone other than the signer will try to recreate an already notarized document.

This provides irrefutable proof that all parties agreed to the terms and conditions per applicable laws.įurthermore, notarizing documents or letters offers you some layer of protection from document fraud. The notary public will keep notes of the time and place of the signing and all parties involved, along with their signature/seal. For example, having a document or contract notarized will provide you with legal proof if there is a dispute over your agreement’s validity. Notarization also benefits you in other ways. They will also verify that the person signing is of legal age (if required by the country) and that they have all of their mental faculties. A notary will ask for identification documentation, such as a passport or driver’s license, to confirm the signer’s identity. The most obvious reason a document may need to be notarized is to prove that the person signing it is who they say they are. Unlike lawyers or attorneys who can assist you in drafting documents and certifying any of your activity, notaries can only secure the authenticity of a document by confirming that the signer is who they say they are and that their signature is genuine. However, remember that notaries do not have the power to alter documents or add any information to them. Their primary role is to provide a third party, anyone from an individual to an organization, with legal guarantee and assurance that the respective signer signed the given documents per all applicable signing laws. The notary citizen is an official approved to perform the notarial functions and acts on behalf of a state, an agency, or another entity. The same applies when designating a beneficiary in a will, gift, trust, or life insurance policy because these documents demand much trust in all parties involved. Documents containing important financial data also need to be notarized to guard against forgery.įor instance, if you are signing over a large sum of money to another party and you won’t be around to verify the transaction once you have authorized it, you may need to notarize the document to ensure that any interested party (i.e., your bank) can verify its authenticity. In most countries, notarization is a legal requirement for most significant legal documents such as affidavits, wills, contracts, powers of attorney, advanced directives, title transfers for cars and real estate property, and other legal documents that can impact the rights of the signer. Therefore, it is ideal to check your state and local government laws regarding notarization or consult your local attorney for legal guidance. Documents may or may not become legally valid immediately after they have been notarized. This prevents any potentiality of fraud and assures interested parties that the document is authentic. The notarization process also involves verifying signatures to confirm that the signature is genuine reasonably. Generally, there are no specific guidelines for a notary’s notarization process other than the idea that the notary is physically present to witness the signing of the document and record the activity in an official log. Notarization is signing a document/letter before an official notary citizen or public and then having the notary official sign, seal and stamp the document to certify that it is authentic.

Notarized meaning