Notary Services: What They Are, How They Work, and Everything You Need to Know

If you wish to notarise your important documents, you can find a simple, free solution at the nearest bank branch. A document is notarised when a third party, known as a notary public service, performs specific tasks, such as verifying your identification, observing you sign the documents, and, in many situations, requiring you to swear that all documents are valid. Notarisation applies to all types of legal papers, including indemnity letters.

Typically, banks notarise a large number of documents, hence it is customary for bank workers to give cheap notary services or free ones to their customers. If you are not a customer, it is recommended that you pay and have the transaction notarised at your bank.

How Notarisation Works

The services related to notarisation are not complicated in any way. Simply presenting the document to a public notary and having it signed in their presence is sufficient. After that, a notary public will use an official stamp to affix their signature, the current date, and the notarisation to the documents. To ensure that they are notarising the signature of the correct person on the document, notaries typically need to see a photo of the signer. The notary will check to make sure that you are aware of the significance of the document you are signing and that you are doing it on purpose.

Documents of nearly every imaginable form can be notarised, but some of the most popular include oaths, powers of attorney, deeds of trust, rental agreements, copy certificates, beneficiary designations for retirement accounts, and promissory notes, and bills of sale for motor vehicles.

Importance of Having A Notary Public Witness Your Signature

The notary validates your identity to ensure that you are the intended recipient of the notarised document. For this reason, the notary must be present when you sign the paper. Therefore, you should not sign the document before meeting the notary. Notaries swear under oath that they will not notarise any document unless they have seen the appropriate person sign it.

If you sign the document prematurely, you must return the copy that must remain unsigned. After seeing your signature on the copy, a notary would compare it to your signature on the original. If the signature matches, the notary will notarise the document on your behalf. In some instances, the notary just needs to notarise the copy and not the original document.

Types of Notarisation

There are numerous types of notarisation. Here are the outcomes for each scenario.

Signature Witnessing - This notarisation method is by far the most typical. It is the responsibility of the notary to verify both your identity and the fact that they were present when you signed the paper.

Acknowledgment - Documents that can be used to transfer ownership of assets, such as property deeds, powers of attorney, or trusts, are the ones that require this particular form of notarisation. It is necessary to state that you are aware that the sign that is already affixed to the documents is yours, that you intend to sign it, and that you are totally in agreement with the provisions of the document.

Copy Certification - In this kind of notarisation service, the notary makes a copy of the original document and attests to the fact that the copy is truthful, accurate, and comprehensive. Documents such as diplomas and transcripts from colleges, passports, and driver's licenses might all be authenticated in this manner.

Jurat - This procedure must be carried out on affidavits, depositions, and any other sorts of evidentiary papers. After signing the document, you must then make a solemn oath or affirmation that the statements included in the document are accurate.

The Closing Note

If you need a document notarised, your bank is an excellent location to start looking for a notary public service. Accessing this benefit through your bank will not only be convenient, but it will also be generally free for account holders. Before searching out your bank's notary public, ensure you know precisely what you need and that they will be available when you want to visit. This will ensure that the notarisation of your document occurs smoothly and swiftly.