Certificates for signers not present

1

I have a question for y’all. So ordinarily on a document we notarize that has 2 spaces and 2 names for a signer to sign but only one is there , we X out the person who is not presents signature line as part of our notarization to prevent fraud and that being filled in after the document leaves our hands.
SO, how do y’all handle certificates that are printed on one page, and then different situation also are separate on another full page for example, John smith is selling his home.
By printed on one page is the seller John smith has a notarial block for him at the top of the signing page after a document that both seller and buyer must sign, and on the SAME page right below the seller John smith is the second notarial block for Mr. Alford Buyer.

  • do you notarize your sellers block and keep it moving , or do you notarize your sellers block and X through the block for Mr. buyer below our seller?

Secondly in a package how do you handle a complete page being dedicated to notarizing someone’s signature that is not present . Your customers Mr and Mrs A , sign and date the lines , you notarize . You turn the page and the ENTIRE page is dedicated to a company (title or lender, even someone else involved in the transaction ) . Do you X through it , or simply ignore it and keep it moving?

I ask because this past weekend I did a loan mod where situation 2 happened . I always cross through anyones notarial block that is not present with me , even if those docs aren’t leaving my custody , even if I didn’t stamp and sign it. Never had a problem until now. Title got mad about it as it was for the "vice president " of the company to sign.
I was like -ummm yeah and y’all got the original doc set so print it off for Mr Important. IDK whats going to happen to those docs once that envelope slides across the counter , and I KNOW you can reproduce the document, but instead you chose to write me and tell me to literally send you an unmarked copy . Which took more work than simply printing the certificate from the packet off IMO.

But educate me

2

No…I have never lined through or “x’d” out notarial certificates for non-present signers - just got my person signed and notarized and moved on. The only alteration I make is if the non-present person’s name is pre-printed in the notarial cert - I line through that person’s name and initial as I’m not notarizing their signature…also add the word “only” after my signer’s name so my cert is clear that I am notarizing for my signer only. Also do not line through the non-present person’s signature line - it can be signed separately after you return it. Can’t tamper with or alter the documents.

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3

If it’s a split signing and documents are going to a separate notary for the 2nd signer I usually print that page twice to include a copy for the next notary. If a notarization is pre-printed with two signer names but only one signer is present you cross out the person’s name who is not there and initial it.

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4

Agree with LindaH-FL and johnsonps306 and do the same as they do.

The notary’s only purview is the notarial certificate. We can make (and initial) any required corrections to the notarial cert as needed. The documents are the property of the lender and title. We only make corrections on docs when instructed to do so by lender/title.

While conducting a signing, my only concern is the person(s) signing with me.

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