A notary is a public official appointed by the state who is present when certain types of financial and legal documents are signed. Also commonly referred to as a “notary public,” they serve as an impartial witness that can verify the identity of the signee(s), their willingness to sign the document, and their knowledge of the contents of the document and what their signature on it means. This helps ensure potentially fraudulent acts are deterred and prevented, and many institutions rely on notaries to have full confidence in their important documents and transactions. Many government agencies, organizations, and industry authorities also require documents to be notarized before they will consider a document official.
When a document has been “notarized,” that means it has been legally verified by a notary as authentic and properly executed without evidence or suspicion of fraud. To do this, a notary will ask for a photo ID from all signees to confirm their identities. All signees need to be present for a document to be notarized, and the document needs to be thoroughly reviewed before being signed. Once notarized, the document receives a notarial certificate and the seal of the notary who served as a witness.
Documents that commonly need to be notarized include:
- Property deeds
- Estate planning documents
- Guardianship and conservatorship documents
- Articles of incorporation
- Memorandum of understanding documents
- Powers of attorney
- Commercial leases
- Vendor contracts
- Loan agreements
- Employee contracts
- Motor vehicle transfers of title
Most individuals will only need the services of a notary when they are buying a new home, getting married, or caring for a sick loved one. However, many businesses, financial institutions, and attorneys frequently need documents notarized.
Being a notary requires integrity, as they must always be impartial and are duty-bound to not act in situations where they may have a personal interest. Integrity and impartiality are crucial aspects of the trust that organizations and the general public have in notaries, and you can always trust Replica’s notary services in San Diego. We can notarize contracts, leases, affidavits, and certificate signings. Contact us for a free quote today!