What You Need to Know About Legal Document Notarization
What You Need to Know About Legal Document Notarization
Blog Article
Getting a document notarized provides additional security for contracts and other important papers by having a witness confirm the signer's identity. This witness verifies that the signer is signing willingly and understands what the document entails.
When dealing with important legal documents, notarization is an important step to make sure everything is real and trustworthy. Whether you’re signing a contract, making a will, or buying a house, knowing about notarization is really helpful.
In this article, we’ll cover the basics of legal document notarization, explaining what it is, why it matters, and how the process works. This will help you feel more confident when handling your legal documents. So without much delay, let's get started.
What is Notarization?
Notarization is a way to prevent fraud by confirming someone's identity, done by an official called a notary public. The notary's job is to check who’s signing the document, watch them sign it, and make sure they fully understand what they're doing. Once that’s done, the notary signs and stamps the document. A notarized document can then be used in court to prove it was signed properly.
Understanding notarization can save you time and prevent issues down the road. Knowing when you need a notary and what to expect during the process can make everything smoother. Notaries are trained professionals who play a key role in verifying your identity and the authenticity of your signature.
They help to prevent fraud and ensure that all parties involved are protected. By familiarizing yourself with notarization, you’ll be better prepared for any legal situation that comes your way.
Who Can Notarize a Document?
Only a notary public can legally notarize a document. This is an official role within the state government, and notaries are usually appointed or commissioned by a high-ranking official like the governor or secretary of state.
Many banks have employees who are notaries and provide this service to their customers. Since oaths and affidavits often require notarization, many lawyers and legal professionals are also notaries public.
What are the Steps in Legal Document Notarization?
While the exact rules may differ by state, the basic notarization process has three steps: confirming the signer's identity, watching the document get signed, and then marking it with a stamp or seal.
To get a document notarized, the signers must provide valid identification so the notary can verify their identities. Once that's done, the notary guides each signer through the document, ensuring they sign or initial where needed. After all signatures are completed, the notary stamps the document. This stamp includes the notary's name, the state where they are authorized, and the expiration date of their commission.
Traditionally, notarization is done in person, requiring all parties to meet with the notary, bring their IDs, and a paper copy of the document.
In the 1990s, electronic notarization was introduced, called In-Person Electronic Notary (IPEN). It's very similar to traditional notarization, but instead of signing and stamping on paper, it’s done electronically.
What are the Types of Legal Document Notarization?
There are basically two types of legal document notarization. This includes -
Remote Ink-signed Notarization (RIN)
Remote Ink-signed Notarization (RIN) is a modern twist on traditional and IPEN notarizations, where a notary watches the signer place a wet ink signature on the document through a video and audio chat. After signing, the signer mails the document to the notary, who applies their official stamp to each signature and then sends the document back.
Remote Online Notarization (RON)
Remote Online Notarization (RON), on the other hand, fully embraces digital technology. It uses video tools, identity checks, and digital audit trails for a completely remote process. The steps are the same—verifying identity, watching the signature, and applying the notary seal—but it’s all done more quickly and securely through a digital system.
Benefits of Mobile Professional Notary Services
In this section, we will explore the top benefits of professional notary services. These are as follows -
Ease of access
Mobile notarization allows notaries to notarize documents without being in the same location as the signers. This eliminates the need for travel, making notarization easier for people with limited transportation, those in remote areas, individuals with unconventional work hours, or those with health issues that keep them at home.
Identity verification
Signers show their government-issued ID to the camera on their device. The mobile notary system then verifies the ID's visual, physical, and cryptographic security features, making the process more advanced than a notary's typical in-person review, especially if the notary lacks expertise in identifying such details.
Knowledge-Based Authentication
In many states, signers must also answer a series of personal background questions that are checked against a third-party database. This adds an extra step to confirm their identity before they begin the video session.
Security
Mobile notarization uses several extra security measures to ensure that a notarized document is authentic. A digital seal is automatically created to show if the document has been altered after notarization. The electronic journal and recorded video session provide proof of the notarial act, serving as strong evidence that the process was completed properly.
Conclusion
Getting legal documents notarized is an important step to make sure they’re genuine and trustworthy. Whether it’s for business, personal agreements, or legal reasons, notarization helps protect against fraud.
Knowing what types of notarization are needed and when to use them can save you time and avoid mistakes. By choosing the right notary service and following the correct steps, you can be confident your documents are legally valid and meet all the necessary rules.
At Jason standard mobile notary we provide legal document notarization and legal document notarization. You can trust us with any of your work and we will finish it for you professionally. Contact us today.