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I am willing to travel up to 40 miles from my base in Powder Springs, Ga.

Atlanta Metropolitan Area 

• Servicing Counties:
  • Clayton
  • Cobb
  • Decatur
  • Dekalb
  • Fulton
  • Gwinnett
  • Paulding

All identification cards must be ORIGINAL, Non-Expired, contain a photo, physical description, signature, and serial number. The Georgia Secretary of State mandates identification procedures. The following forms of identification are acceptable:

•  Driver’s license or non-driver’s I.D. issued by any state, territory, Mexico, or Canada
• U.S. Passport
•  Properly stamped foreign passport
• Military ID for military personnel and their dependents
• Permanent resident card

Compare the signature on I.D. to the signature on the document. Compare the photo or physical description on I.D. to the appearance of your signer.

Name variations

• If the first or middle names differ,
  • It is OK if the first or middle name is an initial in the document but is the full name on the I.D. card.
  •  It is not acceptable if the I.D. has an initial and the document has the full name.
• Last names, or surnames, and suffixes should always be the same.

TWO CREDIBLE WITNESSES – that can swear to the signer’s identity. They must have proper I.D., be 18+ years old, know the signer by the name on the document, not named in the document, or have a financial interest in the transaction described in the document. 

SIGNING BY “X” MARK  –  If the signer cannot sign and has a Valid ID, two “disinterested” witnesses and witnesses on the document need to be present. One witness should write the person’s name next to the person’s mark, and then the witness should sign their name as a witness. The witnesses are only verifying they witnessed the individual make their mark on the document.

• Vital Certificates: Birth, Marriage, Death, Divorce, etc., 
• Photographs 
• Faxed or copied signatures
• Incomplete documents
• Signer not present (except for Proof of Execution by Subscribing Witness)
• Improper ID (need 2 disinterested Credible Witnesses)

No. Notaries are not responsible for the accuracy or legality of documents they notarize. Notaries certify the identity of signers. The signers are responsible for the content of the documents.

No. All states prohibit non-attorneys from practicing law. A Notary can be held liable for any damages resulting from an incorrectly chosen certificate or notarization.

** Disclaimer**

I am not a licensed attorney, and I do not practice law in the state of Georgia. I do not give legal advice, nor will I accept fees for legal advice.

Georgia notaries are not attorneys licensed to practice law. The information on this site is for your general information only. It does NOT constitute legal advice. It should NOT substitute for legal advice from an attorney. 

If there is no notarial wording on your document, you must choose which form to use.  Notaries cannot advise you on your choice of form.  If you do not know what type of notarial certificate your document requires, don’t hesitate to contact the document’s author or the document recipient and have them advise you regarding what kind of form you should use.

Person of proven integrity appointed by a state government to serve the public as an impartial witness with law-specific duties. The Notary has the power to witness the signing of documents and to administer oaths.

 The witnessing duties of a Notary are specified by law. The Notary’s duties often involve signed documents requiring the Notary to ensure a signer’s identity or administer an oath or affirmation.

A Notary/Loan Signing Agent is a Notary who has particular expertise to handle and notarize loan papers. For lenders, Notary/Loan Signing Agents are the final critical link to complete the loan. A Notary/Loan Signing Agent is hired as an independent contractor to ensure that the borrower’s real estate loan documents are executed, notarized, and returned for processing on time. Completing this critical part of the loan process enables the loan to be funded.

To deter document fraud and to provide assurances about the integrity and proper execution of document transactions.

The purpose of an acknowledgment is to ensure that the signer of a document is who they claim to be and has voluntarily signed the document. Acknowledgments often are needed for documents concerning valuable assets, such as deeds, mortgages, and deeds of trust.

To perform an acknowledgment, the signer must personally appear before me at the time of notarization to be positively identified and to declare — or “acknowledge” — that the signature on the document is yours and that you have signed willingly.

While it is common practice for your client to sign the document before you at the time of the notarization, it is unnecessary. You may sign the document before bringing it to me and declare — or acknowledge — that the signature on the document is yours.

The purpose of a jurat is for a signer to swear or affirm that the contents of a document are true. Depending on the jurisdiction, it also can be known as an affidavit or a verification on oath or affirmation.

For a jurat, the signer must personally appear before me and sign the document in my presence. I will then administer an oath or affirmation and have you speak aloud your promise that the statements in the document are factual. The signer should choose between an oath or affirmation.

Administering the oath or affirmation is a vital part of performing a jurat or verification because you affirm that the document’s contents are true, and you may be prosecuted for perjury if the contents are not true.

In some cases, you may need me to administer an oath or affirmation orally, rather than as part of a jurat, affidavit, or other written document. The purpose of issuing a verbal oath or affirmation is to compel a client to truthfulness again.

An oath is a solemn pledge to a Supreme Being. An affirmation is a solemn pledge on the individual’s honor. Again, the choice should be made by the signer.

A copy certification confirms that a reproduction of an original document is a complete, true, and accurate transcription or reproduction of the original.

Documents requiring copy certification may include diplomas, driver’s licenses, leases, contracts, vehicle titles, Social Security cards, medical records, and bills of sale.

Documents That a Notary Cannot Notarize:

• Vital Certificates: Birth, Marriage, Death, Divorce, etc., 

• Photographs 

To perform a copy certification, the person in possession of an original document (also known as the “document custodian”) takes the original document to a Notary. The Notary typically will photocopy the document and complete a certificate for the copy certification to confirm that the photocopy is a true, accurate, and complete copy of the original.

An affidavit is a written statement voluntarily made by an affiant or deponent under an oath or affirmation administered by a Notary Public and usually used as evidence in court.