Notarize a document without a pre-printed notary certificate

Hello. I am looking for the ideas of others based on what they have run into. I am a New Notary in Florida and I am always seeking to improve what I am doing.

Florida gives the wording for Notary documents to include the Venue, how you identified the person you are Notarizing for, The Notary name and signature and the stamp.

I was recently asked to notarize a document that did not have a pre-printed notary certificate. The document was not designed to be notarized, but the requesting party was asking that it be notarized. The person was told that they needed the document notarized and had already had it rejected because it was not notarized. They were not told what type of notarization was required.

I explained they needed to decide what type of notarization they needed and showed them a sample copy of each. After they picked what they wanted, at the request of the signer I wrote the wording on the document. They did not want an attachment. Florida doesn’t add a place for the signer to sign and print a name in the sample wording they provide so I added that as well.

Any advice on what I did or what I could have done to improve my skills?

Sounds like you did everything properly - the only part in question is “Florida doesn’t add a place for the signer to sign and print a name in the sample wording they provide so I added that as well.” - signers do not sign your certificates - only you do. There are 9 elements required for a notary certificate in FL:- venue,type of act (sworn to or acknowledged) date, name of person signing, that they personally appeared, type of ID provided, notary signature, notary name printed under signature, and seal. (F.S. 117.05) - nowhere is it noted that the signer’s signature is required in the certificate.

I carry loose certs for those times when no notarial wording is provided. In addition (and this would fit for your case) I carry a jurat stamp and an ack stamp - stamp the bottom, fill in the blanks, done with all info on one page, which sounds like what the document recipient wanted.

Hope this helps

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Thank you it helps. I want to know I am doing right by people and completing the forms correctly.

I was really concerned because I was notarizing a signature and none of the documents left a space for the signer.
I am building a notebook based on the forms and I am looking for the stamps as another backup.
It may be overkill but I put a section for copies of my state certification, insurance, and bond, A section for each type of form with copies behind the instructions for the forms. I figured if I come across something I didn’t do often I would have the reference and a section for explaining the types of notarizations a person could choose from and the wording. I did this so I could explain to the customer that I could not pick the type of notarization and the choice they had but I wanted to give them a visual as some people respond better to seeing and don’t always hear what you are explaining.

Would you recommend any other items that may unexpectedly come up?

One moment - the above is what you originally said, leading me to believe you were referring to them signing in your cert - now you say "I was really concerned because I was notarizing a signature and none of the documents left a space for the signer. " - are you saying you notarized documents that were not signed at all?

I’m confused.

No the documents were signed. I had to write it out for them on a document and they signed and printed the name for themselves on the document. They wanted everything on the same document. The document was not designed to be a notarized form.

Okay…thank you :slightly_smiling:

As for the forms, I carry loose certificates in my briefcase in manila folders - on the inside of the folder is a printout of the instructions from the manual for that particular signing/cert - POA, Signature by Mark, Signature by Direction, Credible Witnesses, etc etc. And for the same reason as you - some you don’t see all the time so you have ready reference to the procedure when the situation comes up

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I put them into a binder with clear protector sheets. The instructions show on the front the form faces the back and I placed 5-10 copies between them.

Your acknowledgment or jurat never has the signer in it only the document that person is signing, therefore client should not sign your certificate.