Notary No-Nos Part 4
Serving as one of the approximately 4.4 million notaries nationwide requires individuals to discharge important responsibilities that are critical to avoid rejected documents, or worse yet, disciplinary action against the notary. This is the fourth in a series of articles designed to remind notaries of common mistakes and how to avoid them.
Don’t sign with any name variations. Notaries should sign their name exactly the way it appears on their notary stamp and on their notary commission. Using shortened versions of the notary’s name or a changed last name could invalidate the document. If a notary has had a legal name change, the notary should update their certificate and obtain a new stamp.
Don’t fail to secure the notary stamp. Many new notaries do not realize the serious consequences that can result if the notary stamp or seal is left in an unsecure location. An unattended notary stamp could be used to commit fraud. If a notary stamp is lost or stolen, it should be reported to the State immediately. If notary changes employers, the notary should take their stamp with them, even if the employer paid for it. A notary certificate and stamp are personal to the individual.
Don’t place the notary seal or stamp over signatures. Careless notarization can result in a notary accidentally stamping over their signature. This can lead to the required information on the notary stamp being unreadable. If the notary information is not legible and complete, the document could be rejected by the recorder or other government official.
Careless mistakes can result in serious consequences. Watch for future articles on this topic for information on avoiding additional common pitfalls.