Everything You Need to Know About Notarized Documents
As you may know – important documents and agreements need to be notarized. But what does that mean? And is there any authorized way to notarize your important papers? Let’s find out!
What Are Notarized Documents?
Notarized documents are the type of documents that have been certified by a public notary – an official that affirms, administers, and offer legal advice and services. These notaries also oversee those who sign these documents, affirming that the signatures, marks, and identifies are all legitimate. A notary signs the document or puts on a stamp to ensure that the document and its holder are authentic.
Documents that Need to be Notarized
There’s a wide range of documents that require public notarization. However, public notary differs from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Generally speaking, documents that need notarization are as follows:
- Trusts
- Wills
- Executorships
- Power of attorney
- Court documents
- Advanced directives
- Custody agreements
- Guardianship agreements
- Conveyancing documents
- Business documents
- Property documents
- Insurance documents
- Personal documents related to immigration control
- Personal documents related to overseas marriages
How to Get Your Documents Notarized?
To get a notarized document, you will need to visit a notary public in your area. The notary will ask you to verify your identification that proves you are who you say you are. For that, you will need to have your official ID card, driver’s license, passport, or any other government-issued identification. Note that requirements for notarizing the documents vary from state to state.
Note that if the notary isn’t certain or confident that you are the person you claim to be, then they can refuse to sign your documents.
Also, don’t sign your documents ahead of time. Do it only in front of the notary because, in many cases, the public notary wants to watch you sign to check whether or not you are the rightful owner of the document.
Next, your notary will ask for a certain fee. Depending on where you go for a notary, you will be asked to pay a small fee. Notaries need to keep up with the changing laws and records, so it makes sense that they ask for money. The notary fee can be as low as $5 to as costly as $20.
Why Is It Important to Get Documents Notarized?
Documents need to be notarized to cancel fraud or scams. When a document is notarized, it means the holder has signed the document correctly and has entered the agreement knowingly and willingly.
If you are looking for a notary public in San Luis Obispo County, click here!