The Purpose of Notarization 

By Jini Li
March 16, 2017

The purpose of notarization, or notarial acts, is to protect against fraud, coercion and exploitation.

Notaries Public are required to be certified, bonded, duly appointed (sworn in), and impartial. A Notary Public provides service using notarization procedures as prescribed by federal and state codes and regulations.

The notarization process entails verification of the authenticity of documents, signer identities, and signatures. A Notary Public safeguards the core value of notarization by ensuring the authenticity of a document, that the signatures on it are legitimate, and that the signer(s) acted freely of their own volition without duress or intimidation. These precautions help to establish that the intended terms of the document are valid and enforceable.

Click here to read about the requirements and qualifications of a Notary Public.

The three-part process of vetting, certifying, and record-keeping ensure documents can be trusted.

Part 1 – Vetting

A Notary Public scans the document to see that it is complete, and screens signer identities by making sure each has an acceptable form of identification, that they have signed willingly, and that they are aware of what they have signed or are signing. This process protects the integrity of legal transactions by detecting and deterring document fraud and protecting the rights and properties of people from forgery, identity theft, coercion, and exploitation.

Part 2 – Certifying

A Notary Public applies a personal stamp of notarization to the document or attaches a notary certificate to the document after vetting its signers. The notarization must include the required legal wording and the signature of the Notary Public. There are various types of notarization a person may need.

Seals and stamps are manufactured only based on an original Certificate of Authorization document provided by the Secretary of State and can only be produced by approved manufacturers.

The Notary Public seal must be fully legible and photographically reproducible. It must contain an image of the State Seal, the words “Notary Public,” the name of the Notary Public as shown on the commission, the name of the County where the Notary Public’s oath of office and bond are filed, the expiration date of the Notary Public’s commission, the Notary Public’s assigned commission number, the seal manufacturer’s identification number and must be circular or rectangular and of a size specified by government code.

Part 3 – Record-Keeping

A Notary Public keeps a sequential public record of each notarization they have processed in a written journal. Each individual signature on a document are recorded independently as a single entry.

Notary journal records stand as testimony to each notarial act and can be used in legal proceedings. The journal, notary stamp and notary seal are kept in a secure and locked area and should be accessible only to the Notary Public. Any member of the public may request a copy of a notarial transaction with a response from the Notary Public within 15 days of the written request.