Completing a notarization seamlessly is crucial to avoid potential issues. Utilize this checklist to ensure that all necessary steps are taken before the signer leaves:
Complete Document Body:
Glance over the document to confirm that the main body is fully filled out with no blank spaces.
Respect signer privacy; a detailed read-through is not required, just ensure all essential information is provided.
Verify Notary Certificate:
Check the Notary certificate for completeness, ensuring that all required information is filled in without any blanks.
Incomplete Notary certificates are a common cause of document rejection.
Proofread Notary Certificate:
Take a moment to proofread the Notary certificate for accuracy.
Confirm correct spelling of the signer's name and proper placement in the certificate.
Ensure your name matches your Notary commission without using nicknames or abbreviations.
Verify the accuracy of the venue, date of notarization, and all other details.
Affixing Signature, Seal, and Commission Information:
Check that your signature and Notary seal are correctly placed on the Notary certificate.
Ensure the seal image is clear, not smeared, and doesn't obscure any document text.
If required by your state, add your name and commission information to the certificate, ensuring accuracy and matching your Notary commission.
The signer's name is spelled correctly and entered in the correct section of the certificate.
Your name is spelled correctly and entered in the correct section of the certificate.
Your name is written the way it is spelled on your Notary commission — don't use nicknames or abbreviations that don't match the commission name!
The venue (the location where the notarization takes place) is correctly listed.
The date of the notarization is correct.
4. Are your signature, seal and commission information correctly affixed and legible?
Make sure that your signature and Notary seal are affixed in the proper section of the Notary certificate, and your seal image is not blurry, smeared or covering any document text. If you are in a state that requires you to add your name and commission information to the certificate, confirm they are correct and that your name matches your Notary commission as described in #3 above.
Do you have all required information or signatures from the signer for your journal entry?
Be sure that the signer provides you with any information and signatures required for your Notary journal entry. If they leave without providing you with needed details, you will be left with an incomplete journal entry and little or no chance of fixing it once they leave.
Journal Entry Completion:
Confirm that all necessary information or signatures from the signer for the journal entry are obtained.
Ensure the signer provides any required details for the journal entry before leaving.
Incomplete journal entries may be challenging to rectify once the signer departs.
Avoid the awkward realization of missed steps by systematically following this checklist for a thorough and accurate notarization process.
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