Signers with Incomplete Documents and what to do if Blank Spaces are on Documents

There are a few steps inside a notary signing process. One of the first steps to be completed is to confirm no blank spaces on the signer’s document.

How do notaries confirm there are no blank spaces on the signer’s document?

A notary public cannot notarize a document incomplete. When presented with a document containing a signature that needs to be notarized, the notary public should visually scan the document to determine if the document is complete. Blank spaces and blank lines should be examined to ensure that information is not missing.

Spaces left blank. Documents often have areas where it explicitly states “for deputies use only,” “for county recorders filing use only,” etc. These items are intentionally left blank for specific parties to fill in.

Multiple parties signing spaces. If numerous signers get documents notarized at different times and locations, it is acceptable for the blank spaces or other parties’ signatures.

Can I assist a signer in filling out documents if I know where?

Also, if a notary public has experience with a particular type of document and knows what information should be stated in the document, and that information is missing or incomplete, the notary public must refuse to notarize the signature.

In conclusion:

When a notary public is presented with a document, the notary must visually inspect the document to determine its completeness. The notary can decline to notarize a signature if the document is incomplete. An incomplete document may have missing pages, lines, or words. In addition, an incomplete document may lack information normally entered on a particular type of document.