Introduction

There are two primary methods for notarizing documents in the state of California. We’ll take a look at both of them below, and provide guidance on when you might use one as opposed to the other.

Notary public

Notary public is a public officer appointed by the state to notarize documents. Notaries are also called notaries public, notaries, or civil law notaries. The term “notary” is derived from the Latin word “notharius” which means scrivener and denotes an official who is authorized to administer oaths and verify signatures on legal documents.

Notary appointments are made by the secretary of state for each county in California (with some exceptions). To become a notary:

• Complete a training course approved by the Secretary of State’s office.
• Pass an examination administered by the state, this is administered by CPS HR Consulting
• Obtain criminal background check certification through Live Scan fingerprinting process

Notarized document

What is a notarized document?

A notarized document is a legal document that has been signed in front of a public official, and then certified. Notary publics are responsible for verifying the identity of their clients, ensuring that they are in fact who they say they are. They also confirm that both parties understand what they’re signing and know what it means.

Notarization can be used to verify any kind of information on paper or digital media: contracts, wills, legal documents (such as deeds), affidavits (declarations under oath), powers of attorney (authorizations), real estate documents, movie scripts and more! Notaries conduct these tasks in order to ensure that all parties involved have agreed upon certain terms before using any type of legal or financial agreement as proof against fraudulence later down the road – especially if there were no witnesses present when it was originally executed.”

Notary seal

A notary seal is simply a rubber stamp that you use to authenticate your signature on documents. It’s the official-looking stamp with the state seal and words like “Notary Public” printed on it.

The notary seal is used in California to confirm that a person has signed a document and that they are aware of what they’re signing. It also confirms that the document was properly notarized by someone who had been appointed by their county clerk or recorder’s office as a California notary public.

Certificate of acknowledgment

The certificate of acknowledgment is a sworn statement by the signer that the document is authentic. The signer must be in your presence, identified by you and within your jurisdiction. It’s important to note that California notaries cannot certify foreign documents unless they are accompanied by an Apostille.

Jurat

The jurat is the part of the notarization that the signer acknowledges, and it typically includes three things:

• The signer’s name, address and signature
• A statement affirming that they are who they say they are (e.g., John Smith, 123 Main Street)
• A statement affirming that their signature on any document(s) to be notarized is genuine

California notarial certificate

A California notarial certificate is a form that is filled out by the notary public after performing a notarization. The certificate shows that the notarization was performed properly. A California notarial certificate contains:

• The date and time of the California notarization
• The name and address of the person who requested the California notarization
• The type of document being signed
• A list of all parties involved in this particular transaction (including their signatures)

The signature on your California Notary Public’s Official Certificate should be from either yourself or one of your co-signers, depending on what you have agreed upon with them in advance.

Notary laws vary from state to state, so if you are going to be traveling with important documents check to make sure they will be accepted in your destination.

• Notary laws vary from state to state, so if you are going to be traveling with important documents check to make sure they will be accepted in your destination.
• If you have questions about notarization or another document-related issue, check out the [notary public information website](http://www.sos.ca.gov).

Conclusion

Thank you for reading. We hope that this article has helped you learn more about how to get your document notarized in California!