Notary Public

The Notary Public Handbook is your official source of laws related to notaries public in California. A notary public is a public official who performs invaluable services for the legal, business, financial, and real estate communities. Although there are no significant statutory changes for 2019, new additions this year include a fee table on page 19 and an Index at the back of the handbook to better assist you in finding information on a specific topic of interest. This Notary Public Handbook is designed to supplement your course of study, which will prepare you for the notary public examination. All statutory references are to California Codes, unless otherwise indicated. Once you are commissioned, the Secretary of State strongly recommends that you keep your Notary Public Handbook as a ready reference to help you perform your duties.

Everybody knows what a notary public does, right? Actually, there is much misunderstanding and confusion about what the proper role and duty of a notary is. A notary public does not "legalize" documents, or verify the accuracy or truthfulness of the content or statements made in a document, and yet the role that a notary plays in ascertaining the identity of the person who signs a document, placing that person under oath, if required, and determining the signer's intent and willingness to consent to the transaction is vital in modern society. A notary public is a public official commissioned by the Secretary of State to administer oaths and affirmations, take acknowledgments, witness signatures, and perform other duties as permitted by state law. A notary should be familiar with the Idaho notary laws and to follow the standards of reasonable care for performing a notarial act.

A notary is a public official responsible for independently verifying signatures and oaths. Depending on how a document is written, a notarization serves to affirm the identity of a signer and the fact that they personally executed their signature. A notarization, or notarial act, officially documents the identity of a party to a document or transaction and the occasion of the signing that others can rely upon, usually at face value. A notary's authentication is intended to be reliable, to avoid the inconvenience of having to locate a signer to have them personally verify their signature, as well as to document the execution of a document perhaps long after the lifetime of the signer and the notary. An oath is a sworn statement. In most cases a person will swear that a written statement, oral statement, or testimony they are about to give is true. A notary can document that the notary administered an oath to an individual.

WHAT IS A NOTARY PUBLIC?- A Notary Public is an official of integrity commissioned to a four year term by the Governor to serve the public as an impartial witness to the identity, comprehension, and intent of a person requesting a notarial act. Each act requires a notary to attest that certain formalities have been observed. Every notarial act affects the legal rights of others. A notary may be held personally responsible for improper, negligent or fraudulent acts. JURISDICTION- Rhode Island Notaries Public may perform notarial acts anywhere within the boundaries of the State of Rhode Island. They may NOT perform notarial acts outside of the State of Rhode Island. Notarial practices in the State of Rhode Island are governed by RIGL 42-30.1 and the Standards of Conduct for Notaries Public in the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

Welcome to the State of Oregon Notary Public Guide. This publication describes the duties and responsibilities involved in carrying out your notarial commission. It covers laws and rules, Attorney General's opinions, state policy, and common sense guidelines based on broad experience and familiarity with case law. It is your responsibility as a notary public to understand and carry out the laws and administrative rules of the State of Oregon as they relate to notaries. Failure to follow these laws could leave you liable to recovery of damages and subject to fines and other penalties. Familiarity with the Notary Public Guide will reduce that risk. No matter how much this guide covers, it will always miss some situation or special need you and your client may encounter.

I n Arizona, a notary public is a public officer commissioned by the Secretary of State to perform notarial acts, as defined in the Arizona Revised Statutes (see Chapter 5). A notary, in essence, serves as an impartial witness pursuant to A.R.S. § 41- 328(B). Government offices, businesses and the public rely on the accuracy and integrity of notaries public. This means the notary should take the required steps to authenticate signatures and ensure that all notarizations are properly completed and performed. Many documents require a notarization in an effort to deter fraud, to prove the authenticity of the signature and to ensure that a signature was made willingly and not under duress. Therefore, it's essential that a notary accept a valid form of identification, as defined in statutes, to determine that a signer is who he or she claims to be. Because the prevention of fraud and deception is central to the notary's role, it is essential that a notary have no conflict of interest when notarizing a document.

There are many reasons why someone would seek to be a notary public. You might be the owner of a small business; you may work in an office where clients and customers have frequent need of a notary's services; you may enjoy the official nature of the duties; or it may be a requirement of your job. No matter what the reason, appointment as a notary public is a serious undertaking. The notary is a ?public official, ? a person given a public trust, a person whose duties and responsibilities cannot be taken lightly. The notary serves a vital role in the execution of a wide range of documents. Whenever individuals see a document that has been ?notarized, ? they should be confident that the notarial act has been performed correctly. As a notary public it is your responsibility to use intelligence and judgment, and always perform your duties as required by Connecticut State law. You must remember that others are relying on your honesty and integrit

As a notary public, you hold an important position in the state of Kansas. It is essential that you understand the notarial duties and responsibilities given in Kansas law. The purpose of this handbook is to help you understand notary laws so that you can perform your duties correctly. The purpose of a notary public is to prevent fraud and forgery. The notary acts as an official, unbiased witness to the identity of the person who signs the document. A Kansas notary public has six major duties: 1. Take acknowledgments, 2. Administer oaths and affirmations, 3. Take a verification upon oath or affirmation, 4. Witness or attest a signature, 5. Certify or attest a copy, and 6. Note a protest of a negotiable instrument. (K.S.A. 53-107)