Notaries play an essential role in keeping legal, financial, and real estate transactions safe. But many people aren’t sure what a Notary Public truly does—or where the boundaries of our authority stop.
Whether you need documents for real estate, court, business, or personal matters, understanding a notary’s job helps you avoid errors, delays, and legal issues.
Here’s a clear breakdown of what a Notary Public actually does — and what we are legally prohibited from doing.
What a Notary Public Does
1. Verifies Your Identity
The primary role of a notary is to confirm that you are who you claim to be.
We do this by checking a valid, government-issued photo ID, such as:
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Driver’s license
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Passport
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State ID
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Green card (in many states)
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Military ID
This prevents impersonation and identity fraud.
2. Confirms You Are Signing Willingly
A notary must ensure that a person:
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Understands what they’re signing
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Is not being pressured or forced
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Is mentally aware and acting voluntarily
If a notary suspects coercion or confusion, they must refuse the notarization.
3. Witnesses Your Signature
Depending on the notarial act required, a notary may:
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Watch you sign the document (for jurats/oaths)
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Confirm that you previously signed the document willingly (for acknowledgments)
The notary’s job is to be a neutral, trusted witness.
4. Administers Oaths and Affirmations
Notaries can legally administer:
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Oaths (“Do you swear the contents are true?”)
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Affirmations (“Do you affirm that this is true?”)
This is required for affidavits, sworn statements, and many court-related documents.
5. Completes the Notarial Certificate
After verifying identity and witnessing the signature, the notary will:
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Fill out the certificate wording
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Sign it
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Apply their official seal/stamp
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Record the act in a journal (depending on state laws)
This certifies that the notarization was performed correctly.
6. Helps Prevent Fraud
Every step a notary takes — ID checks, recordkeeping, impartiality — helps protect the signer, the business, and any government agency receiving the document.
Notaries are one of the oldest fraud-prevention tools in the legal system.
What a Notary Public Does NOT Do
Many people misunderstand this part — so here’s what U.S. notaries are NOT allowed to do:
1. We Do NOT Give Legal Advice
Notaries are NOT lawyers (unless the notary is separately a licensed attorney).
We cannot:
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Tell you what type of document you need
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Tell you which notarial act to choose
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Explain your legal rights
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Interpret what your document means
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Advise you on immigration, divorce, real estate, estate planning, or contracts
Doing so is considered Unauthorized Practice of Law (UPL) and is illegal.
2. We Do NOT Prepare or Draft Legal Documents
Unless a notary is also an attorney, we cannot:
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Draft contracts
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Prepare wills or trusts
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Fill in legal forms
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Write real estate documents
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Create powers of attorney
You must bring fully prepared documents to your notary appointment.
3. We Do NOT Notarize Incomplete Documents
A notary cannot notarize:
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Blank pages
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Missing signatures or sections
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Documents with blank spaces intended to be filled later
Everything must be completed before notarization — except the actual signature.
4. We Do NOT Choose the Notarial Certificate for You
A notary cannot decide whether you need:
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An acknowledgment
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A jurat
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An oath
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A copy certification
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A signature witnessing
You (or your attorney/agency) must tell the notary which act is required.
5. We Do NOT Notarize Without Proper ID
We cannot accept:
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Expired IDs (in most states)
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Photos of IDs
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Social media accounts
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Work badges
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Birth certificates
No ID = no notarization.
6. We Do NOT Notarize Certain Documents
Notaries cannot notarize:
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Vital records (birth, death, marriage certificates)
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Photographs
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Incomplete documents
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Anything the signer doesn’t understand
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Anything the notary suspects is fraudulent
We can notarize a copy certification of some documents (depending on the state), but not the originals.
7. We Do NOT Notarize for Someone Who Isn’t Present
Remote or in-person, the signer must be physically present before the notary — no exceptions.
A spouse, family member, or friend cannot sign for someone else unless:
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They have a valid Power of Attorney
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And the document allows it
Conclusion
A Notary Public plays a crucial role in fraud prevention by verifying identity, witnessing signatures, confirming willingness, and completing official notarial certificates. But we also have strict legal limits — including no legal advice, no document preparation, and no notarizing incomplete or unclear documents.
Knowing what a notary can and cannot do helps ensure your appointment is fast, smooth, and legally valid.
At Looking Glass Runners Notary, we’re committed to providing reliable, accurate, and secure notarization services — mobile, and online nationwide.
