What is a Notary Public?

A Notary Public is an official of integrity appointed by state government — typically by the secretary of state — to serve the public as an impartial witness in performing a variety of official fraud-deterrent acts related to the signing of important documents. These official acts are called notarizations, or notarial acts. Notaries are publicly commissioned as "ministerial" officials, meaning that they are expected to follow written rules without the exercise of significant personal discretion, as would otherwise be the case with a "judicial" official.

We are not attorneys licensed to practice law and may not give legal advice about immigration or any other legal matter or accept fees for legal advice.

Services Provided

Acknowledgements

An Acknowledgement of Signature or Acknowledgement of Execution is a notary which verifies that a particular person signed a given document. It is often used for legal agreements, business documents, etc.

Jurat

The purpose of a jurat — also known in some states as a “verification upon oath or affirmation” — is for a signer to swear to or affirm the truthfulness of the contents of a document to a Notary or notarial officer.

Oaths

An oath or affirmation is a solemn declaration with legal consequences that can be made before a Notary.