Notarization serves as a crucial fraud deterrent, authenticating signatures and safeguarding involved parties. A notary public, acting as an impartial witness, verifies identities, prevents impersonation, confirms willing document signing, and assesses the signer’s mental capacity.
While certain documents necessitate notarization, others don’t. Crucially, some documents are explicitly prohibited from being notarized. Here’s a breakdown of documents a notary public cannot legally notarize:
* **Birth Certificates:** Typically, individuals require certified copies obtainable from the State Bureau of Vital Statistics. Notarizing birth certificates or copies is forbidden.
* **Photographs:** Notarizing photographs isn’t an authorized notarial act in the United States. However, a written statement about a photograph can be notarized if the photograph is attached. In this case, the notarization applies to the statement, not the image itself.
* **Mismatched Names:** If the name on the document doesn’t precisely match the identification presented, notarization is prohibited. A notary must be fully convinced of the signer’s identity.
* **Blank or Incomplete Documents:** Notarization requires fully completed documents without blank spaces. Altering incomplete documents post-notarization is easy and unethical.
* **Faxed or Copied Signatures:** A faxed or photocopied document can be notarized ONLY if it contains an original, ink-signed signature. A signature that is itself a photocopy cannot be notarized.
* **Wills:** Wills are sensitive documents. Notarizing holographic (handwritten) wills can sometimes invalidate them. Best practice dictates notarizing wills only after the signer’s attorney provides specific notarial wording and instructs notarization.
* **Documents Where the Notary is a Party:** A notary cannot notarize any document where they have a financial interest or are a party to the agreement. This also extends to witnessing the notary’s own signature.