Notary Public Do’s

Notary Public Don’ts

On receipt of your commission from the Ohio Secretary of State, record your certificate with the Williams County Clerk of Courts

Notarize anything after your commission has expired

Notarize documents within Ohio

Notarize documents outside Ohio

For affidavits, administer oath or allow signer to affirm the facts contained therein are true then, in your presence, have them sign or acknowledge that they signed the affidavit

Notarize a known forged signature even when it benefits a client and is not intended to defraud anyone

For acknowledgements, the signer must personally appear before you, even if they have previously signed the document and even if you are familiar with their signature

Notarize for a signer, either in their presence or not, where another person informs you as to their identity but no identification is shown and you are not familiar with the signer

Complete the notary statement in full after signer has signed

Notarize for a signer whom you do not know without proper identification

Sign the document (a document can be found to be invalid without your signature)

Have signers sign documents to be notarized later (or any other such improper act). If it feels wrong, do not do it

Use your seal

Notarize any document you feel uncomfortable notarizing (use common sense)

Consider what interest you may have in the transaction before deciding to notarize

Charge excessive fees

Commit any violation of your oath of office