Hello,
So I have had my commission for a while now, but am only now focusing and trying to get work. I was wondering, does everyone carry different Notarial Certificates with them and if so, how exactly does one attach it to a document to make it all legal?
Thanks:)
I have mine in manila folders in my briefcase; I also have an acknowledgement stamp and a jurat stamp for those times when there’s enough room - I can stamp an ack or jurat at the bottom of the page.
Your last question - how to attach - depends on your state. I know some states don’t address it at all - some states, like CA, are very specific about how to attach a loose cert. So if you’re in CA, I think it’s in your workbook.
I carry a small stapler in my briefcase for loose certs.
California’s loose certificates have an area at the bottom where you can put the information regarding the document that the certificate is attached to. For general notary work, I attach the certificate with a stapler. For loan documents, I make sure the information on the certificate matches the loan document title so that there is no mistaking what certificate goes where.
I carry blank acknowledgements in both legal size and letter size. I create then in Microsoft Word with the wording that is traditional in my state. At the bottom there is an area to describe the document the certificate is attached to.
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I’m confused. I live and work in California. Several companies sent a loose acknowledgement some times 2 or 3. I have been filling out the forms and notarizing them. I send them back with the documents. Am I NOT supposed to notarize and send the acknowledgement? It is blank and not attached to any other document. I don’t want to break the law, just be an ethical notary. I saw on NNA we are not supposed to notarize these docs unless it is attached to another document. I also saw the title or signing co can revoke your commission.
No…you’re not supposed to stamp anything not attached to a specific document. Those All Purpose Acknowledgements (APAs) get thrown in the package and the companies justify it with a "we need that just in case - yeah, well, just in case what? You never know what that’s being attached to.
Do not fill out, sign and/or stamp the loose APAs provided - only complete, sign and stamp the ones that are associated with a specific document.
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In CA you are commissioned by the Secretary of State. Only the Secretary of State’s office can revoke your commission. No title company or signing service can revoke your commission.
Apologies… missed this last sentence earlier (guess I focused on the APA situation) - Gerard is absolutely right. This statement is nothing but a bullying tactic by the company to get you to comply with THEIR requirements. If a title company rep told you that, well that’s just a ridiculous comment.
Normally I just ignore extra certificates. But once in a while, it comes after a document that might possibly need to be notarized, but it doesn’t look like part of the previous document (there’s no bar code, it doesn’t have a page number, it doesn’t have a heading with the title of the previous document, etc.) In that case I’ll call and ask if the preceding document needs a notarization, or if the supplied certificate is just a spare in case one of the certificates that’s part of a doc gets spoiled.
No need to accuse the organization that put the spare certificate in there of trying to get me to do something illegal; I give them the benefit of the doubt and treat it as a spare, which I would only complete if another certificate gets spoiled.
It would also be useful if I’m meeting signers in two different places; since the hiring parties usually ask me to complete all certificates at the table, I’d have to finish the certificates in the first location and use spare certificates in the second location. In some states finishing the certificate at the table is mandatory.
Was not accusing you of anything Gerard. I’m addressing the companies who insist that these extras be signed and stamped just in case.