Same document can be signed by 2 Notaries ?
One person reached me, their document needs to by signed by wife and husband, but both are at different locations. What is the solution ?
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Can 1st person sign and leave other signature and notarize that 1st person signature , notarized by Notary 1 at location 1
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They send the documents to 2nd person, where second signer will sign and it is notarized by Notary 2 at location 2
Is this workable, not sure same document can be notarized by 2 notaries, any suggestions please
Thank you in advance.
No! Is not workable! You notarize 1st person and take the document with you, Regardless it has 2nd, 3rd or 5th person names. You make sure to keep document, unless only one person’s name appear, and instructed by lender to leave document because signer will send.
Yes, it’s workable - happens many times with loan signings - 1st notary gets package, gets it signed then either returns it to title who sends it to second notary, or 1st notary sends package directly to second notary - (called a “split signing”) - sometimes if one signer is a non-borrowing spouse title will send title docs and security instrument to the non-borrower for their signature and either get a notary for them or tell them find their own notary.
If this is for general notary work - you would have your signer sign the doc and complete the certificate in a manner that indicates that only that one signer was there in front of you (here in FL I would put in my cert “personally appeared (only) John Doe…” or "John Doe (only) - then let the first signer do whatever they will to get the document to the second signer for their signature.
Hope this helps. (and sorry Blue!)
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Thank you Linda, This is general Notary work, so it is ok 2 notaries signing for different signature/signers 2 different notaries notarizing.
Just make very sure that your certificate is clear as to who you are notarizing. In our loose certificates we have a heading, acknowledgement or jurat. What I would do in addition to the above that I mentioned using the word only, underneath the title of the cert jurat or acknowledgement I would put in (as to the signer so in so only)
And if you keep a journal, I would make notes in my journal that it is a notarization for one signer only and I would have the sign or initial that notation in my journal. But I’m anal that way sometimes
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No sorry! @LindaH-FL please correct me if I’m wrong, I much appreciate your expertise. I was giving my opinion based on a recent refinance where only the wife needed to sign because for an unknown reason to me she didn’t with hubby the first time. Both names were on documents, but only wife signed and I acknowledged that, no other notary on documents.
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I don’t see why not, Each notary can attach an acknowledgment or jurat for each signer.
The problem I have seen with these scenarios is that you are not supposed to notarize a document with any blank spaces unfilled. If you don’t witness or get acknowledgment you are taking responsibility for whatever gets added to that document after you turn it over to title or back to signer for gnw. In my notary training I was told to cross a line through any blanks before notarizing. Thoughts?
I’m not sure what you’re referring to - “blanks” - I’m addressing a complete doc with one of two signers…no you would not put a line through their signature line. “Blanks” refers to open spaces in the body of the document…and then I agree - blank spaces in the body of the document either get completed or have a line drawn through them. But not the signature line. And that’s why I said my cert would be so specific so as to point out that it is for XX signer only.
That is exactly why I’m asking. I heard of an NSA receiving a package that was started in another state because husband and wife were separated. The first notary crossed out all the places that needed to be signed for the spouse that did not appear before him so the second notary couldn’t even do anything and had to send back to title. The info I was taught leans toward what the first notary did but of course in this case it would make it impossible to get the docs signed unless someone got on a plane.
No, you never line through signature lines - ever. That notary should have known better. Maybe it was the first signer that did it out of spite…lol
Right! The notary laws were not written with all of these complexities in mind. Working as an NSA I sometimes feel like I am pushing the boundaries. Since I am new to this, I am cautious. So afraid of getting sued!
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