Notarization

What Is Notarization? Notarization is an official fraud-deterrent process performed by a notary public, who is a state-appointed official authorized to serve as an impartial witness to the signing of documents. The notary verifies the identity of the signers, confirms they are signing voluntarily and understand the document, and applies their official seal or stamp to certify the transaction. ## When Notarization Is Required - Real estate deeds and mortgage documents - Powers of attorney - Wills and trusts (in some states) - Affidavits and sworn statements - Vehicle title transfers (in some states) - International documents requiring an apostille ## The Notarization Process The signer must appear before the notary in person (or via approved remote online notarization in many states), present valid government-issued identification, and sign the document in the notary's presence. The notary then completes the notarial certificate, signs, and affixes their seal. A notary does not verify the legal content or validity of the document itself but certifies that the signing was properly executed. Remote online notarization (RON) has expanded access to notarial services by allowing the process to occur via audio-video technology.