Add Formulas and Calculations Legal Illinois Acknowledgments Forms For Free

It's not unusual for a Notary to be named in a lawsuit simply because plaintiffs are obligated to cast a wide net. In other words, the civil process is “Sue first, ask questions later.” And even with the best outcome, being sued is incredibly disruptive.

Don't let simple things like improper wording or formatting make your notarized document invalid. Additionally, failing to properly identify the signer or making an illegible stamp impression are other common mistakes that undermine a notary's public trust.

Illinois now has three options for notarizations: in-person, remote, and electronic. All notaries must be bonded; the bond amount for in-person notaries is $5,000. For notaries performing electronic or remote notarizations, the bond amount is $30,000.

One of the most common mistakes that notaries make is not printing or signing their name exactly as it appears on their notary commission.

Illinois Notary journal basics The Notary must always retain exclusive control of the journal and keep it in a locked location that only the Notary can access. The Notary may use a paper journal, provided it is securely bound and has consecutively numbered pages with printed page and entry line numbers.

In each paper or electronic journal, a Notary must include the Notary's name, signature, commission number, expiration date, and office address of record with the Secretary of State, along with a statement that in the event of the death of the Notary, the journal is to be delivered or mailed to the Secretary of State, ...

An acceptable form of identification for an acknowledgement includes a certified copy of a birth certificate or an FBI employee identification card. An expired driver's license and a social security card are typically not valid. It is important to use current and recognized forms of ID.

§ 6-102. Notarial Acts. (a) In taking an acknowledgment, the notary public must determine, either from personal knowledge or from satisfactory evidence, that the person appearing before the notary and making the acknowledgment is the person whose true signature is on the instrument.

A notary public may not notarize a document for a signer who cannot directly acknowledge his signature or swear to the truthfulness of the statements in the notarial ceremony. Without the notarial ceremony, the notarial act is not officially executed.