How To Get Something Notarized
If you’ve been told a document needs to be notarized and you’ve never done it before, the process is simpler than it sounds. A notarization is just a formal verification: a commissioned notary confirms who you are, watches you sign, and certifies it with a stamp. Here’s the whole process, start to finish.
Step 1: Figure out what kind of notarization you need
The document usually tells you. Look near the signature line for notarial wording. The two most common types:
- Acknowledgment, you confirm to the notary that you signed the document willingly. Common for deeds, powers of attorney, and contracts.
- Jurat, you swear or affirm the contents are true and sign in front of the notary. Common for affidavits and sworn statements.
You don’t need to memorize the difference. If the document has notarial wording, the notary will read it and perform the right act. If it has none, the party requesting the notarization (the court, agency, or institution) should tell you which they require, since a notary can’t choose for you.
Step 2: Leave the signature line blank, but fill in everything else
Two rules that surprise people. The document must be complete before notarization, no empty fields meant to be filled in later. But for a jurat, don’t sign it ahead of time, because the entire point is signing in front of the notary. If you’ve already signed something needing a jurat, mention it when scheduling and the notary will explain the options.
Step 3: Gather your ID
You’ll need a valid, unexpired, government-issued photo ID with your signature: a driver’s license, state ID, passport, military ID, or tribal ID. The physical card, not a photo of it. Check the expiration date now, since an expired ID is the single most common reason an appointment fails.
Step 4: Choose where to get it done
You have options:
- Your bank, often free for account holders, fine for simple documents during business hours.
- A mobile notary, comes to your home, office, hospital room, or coffee shop, with evening and weekend availability. There’s a fee, which covers the service and travel.
- Remote online notarization, for qualifying documents, the whole thing happens over secure video. In my case, both the signer and I need to be located in Wisconsin at the time of signing.
If you’re in the Milwaukee metro area, that middle option is what I do all day. And if you’re unsure which route fits, just ask, I’ll tell you honestly if your bank can handle it for free.
Step 5: The appointment itself
The notarization takes 5 to 15 minutes for a typical document. The notary checks your ID, confirms you understand what you’re signing and are signing willingly, watches you sign (or takes your acknowledgment), completes the notarial certificate, and applies the stamp. Then you’re done. The notary keeps a record of the act, which protects you if questions ever come up later.
What a notary can’t do
Worth knowing so you’re not caught off guard: a notary can’t prepare the document for you, tell you what to write in it, explain its legal effect, or give legal advice. Those questions go to the attorney, agency, or institution behind the document. The notary’s job is the verification, done correctly, so the document holds up.
Ready to schedule, or not sure what your document needs? Reach out through the contact page or call, and I’ll walk you through it.