Notaries can notarize various documents, including wills, powers of attorney, real estate transactions, affidavits, and contracts. Their services are essential for enhancing the legal validity of these documents.
After verifying your identity, the notary will complete the notarization process by signing and affixing their official seal or stamp to the document. This seal indicates that the document has been properly notarized, and that the notary has witnessed the signing.
Yes, attorneys in all 50 states are required to have a valid notary stamp in order to perform any notarial acts. In addition to a seal, the attorney must also hold a valid notary commission. Attorneys must adhere to the same laws and regulations as non-lawyer notaries when it comes to performing notarial acts.
Notaries may only certify copies of powers of attorney under Probate Code Section 4307. This requires the certifying person to confirm that they have examined the original power of attorney alongside the copy and that the copy is true and correct.
Must A Power of Attorney be notarized? California law requires that the Power of Attorney must be either notarized or signed in the presence of two witnesses.
Many professions may require a person to double as a notary public, which is why US court reporters are often notaries, as this enables them to swear in witnesses (deponents) when they are taking depositions; secretaries, bankers, and some lawyers are commonly notaries public.
A new law taking effect January 1, 2025, allows a “disinterested custodian” of an electronic record to certify a tangible copy of the electronic record before a Notary. The FAQ below explains how this new law affects California Notaries and what to do if asked to perform this type of notarization.
California requires that the signature of the principal of the Power of Attorney must be acknowledged and recorded by a notary or acknowledged by two witnesses. Every witness to the power of attorney document must witness the principal signing the document or the notary's acknowledgment.
Only when the required notarial act is an acknowledgment—and if all requirements of the notarial act can be met—then yes… a notary may notarize a document that is already signed.