In lieu of a traditional inked stamp, New York notaries must handwrite, typewrite or print, below the official signature, the "statement of authority": commissioned name; the words "Notary Public State of New York"; the county in which they are qualified (the county in which the county clerk records a signed and sworn ...
Attorneys at law with the exception of taking and passing the initial, written notary examination, must follow the same appointment and re-appointment process as non-lawyers; lawyers are not automatically appointed as notaries because they are licensed as lawyers.
A New York POA must be signed and dated by the principal in the presence of a notary public and two disinterested witnesses. Witnesses must be at least 18 years old and cannot be related to the principal or the agent.
An individual admitted to practice in NYS as an attorney, may be appointed a notary public without an examination. The term of commission is 4 years. Notaries public are commissioned in their counties of residence.
New York Requires Notaries to Use a Journal It is requisite to record the type of identification provided by the client. Most journals have a space for this, but it is wise to check and make sure, when buying a new journal, that it contains a box for this information. Also, you must keep your journal for ten years.
Beginning January 25th, 2023, all notaries, including those notaries that only provide traditional in-person services, are required to keep a journal of all notarial acts performed which includes the type of identification provided, for 10 years.
No requirement for notarization A court can accept a self-proving will without reaching out to the witnesses, speeding up the probate process. To protect your assets and honor your final wishes, ensure your will meets New York's requirements.
Legal documents may be notarized remotely under the new law, but others will still require witnesses. The new remote notarization law allows for both electronic signature and “wet” signatures.
No, you cannot notarize your own documents. As the law requires notaries to be an impartial witness to the signing of documents, notarizing your own documents presents a conflict of interest and undermines the purpose of notarization.
While most states require a handwritten signature, some are silent on the matter. New York is a state that falls into the latter category. If your state doesn't have official policy regarding signatures, we recommend consulting with your state's commissioning authority.