What Does a Notary Do?

When you think about significant transactions, there are always multitudes of documents to sign. And in many cases, your signature must be witnessed by a professional called a notary public. All states have them.

Essentially, this official’s job is to witness a document signing and authenticate that process. They do this by attending the signing and stamping the document. They verify the identity of the one agreeing to the contract terms, should it ever be contested in court. People who buy houses, serve as personal representatives for a will, or are engaged in business dealings require a notary present to witness the signing.

Job-Specific Responsibilities

A notary’s specific duties vary from state to state. Still, the two main tasks include acknowledgment and affirmation. With acknowledgment, this official is present to ensure the right person signs the document, does so willingly, and attests they understand the content. With affirmation, the one signing document swears the contents are true.

The idea behind this age-old process is to witness and verify the signing. This is a process that is as necessary now as it has even been. The process ends with the notary signing and sealing the certificate with an official stamp.

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