Types of Notarizations

The most frequent type of notarization is the acknowledgement.  Acknowledging a document means that the properly identified signer personally appears before the notary on the date & in the county indicated, that the signer either signs in front of the notary or acknowledges that s/he did indeed sign the document as well as acknowledging that the document was signed without coercion & that the signer is aware of the documents contents.

The second most frequent type of notarization is the jurat, often called an affidavit.  For a jurat, the signer must personally appear before the notary & either swear, or affirm, to the truthfulness of the document & it's contents, & sign the document in the presence of the notary.

 

Less common notarizations are as follows:

• Copy Certification by Document Custodian:  in states where notary certified copies are prohibited, a custodian -certified copy is occasionally used.   This procedure requires that the Document Custodian sign a declaration, & swear (or affirm)  that the copy is identical to the original.     Essentially, this procedure is an affidavit signed by the custodian & with a jurat as the notarization.

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• Powers of Attorney:  is a document that grants the legal authority for someone to sign documents on behalf of another person.    While a notary cannot supply these documents, a notary may notarize a Power of Attorney as well as certify copies of a Power of Attorney.   A copy of a Power of Attorney that has been certified by a notary has the same force & effect as the original document.

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• Proof of Execution by a Subscribing Witness:  if a person has signed a document but cannot personally appear before a Notary Public, another individual may  appear on that person's behalf to prove the execution by the principal.   That person is called a subscribing witness.  The requirements of a Proof of Execution by a Subscribing Witness are; 1)the subscribing witness must be able to state, under oath, that s/he either saw the principal sign the document or heard the principal acknowledge that he s/he signed the document.  2) The subscribing witness must personally know the Notary Public, or if the subscribing witness does not personally know the Notary Public, then his or her identity must be established, or proved, by a third party that knows both the subscribing witness & the Notary Public.  This procedure cannot by used in conjunction with any real estate documents (other than a trustee's deed or a deed or reconveyance) or with a Power of Attorney.

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• Consent for Minor Child to Travel:  Travel abroad with a minor child frequently requires notarized documents that certify the child has the permission of non-traveling parents &/or guardians to travel.  Some of these documents require health care information.  Several forms are available on the internet but I urge you to contact your travel agent, travel carrier, US State Dept, or the embassy of the country you are visiting for they're specific requirements & forms.

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Disclaimer:   I am not an attorney & can not provide legal advice, documents, or suggestions outside the Notary Public field.  Notarization fees are set by the State of California.  Document &  Identification standards & requirements are set by the State of California & US Patriot Act. 

Note: A Notarization provides verification of a document signer' willingness to sign & that the signer is the person identified by the signature. A Notarization does not prove the truthfulness of the contents of a document, nor does it validate a document &/or render it legal.