What is a Notary Public?

We often hear the question “What is a notary public?”. He/ She is an individual commissioned by the State of Oklahoma to verify the identity of signers, and the notary public OKC is required to be bonded by a private insurance company. Oklahoma notaries get their commission directly from the Oklahoma Secretary of State, and they must carry and use a special stamp or seal. The seal or stamp they use verifies that their signature is true and authentic. They must ensure that he or she signs his or her name the same way in which it is on record with the Oklahoma Secretary of State. That way if anyone ever questions whether or not their signature is authentic, one can compare it with the official signature that the Oklahoma City notary public already has on file.

What is a Notary Public?

An Oklahoma notary public serves to verify the identity of people who wish to officially sign a wide array documents (i.e., wills, contracts, car titles transfers, jurats, home loans, etc.). Mobile notaries must always getting an oral or written affirmation from the affiant that the information contained within the document is true and correct. They can also notarize simpler things such as a letter from one person to another.

Sometimes a mobile notary OKC will even get a call to notarize and thus confirm that a copy of a person’s driver’s license or marriage license is a true and accurate copy of the original. They must ensure, of course, that the person also has the original document (i.e., driver’s license) with him or her, and should inspect it to see if it appears to be legal and valid. This type of service can come in especially handy for individuals who do not have their passport readily available.

As mentioned earlier, they must always ensure that he or she can verify the identity of the individual. This can be done in one of several ways. Generally speaking, they will help make certain that a person is who he or she claims it to be by asking for identification such as a passport, driver’s license, etc. Having an identification with a photo and a signature is especially important in Oklahoma. That way they can verify the stated identity, and then they can compare the individual’s signature pattern on the new document with what is on the driver’s license.

In some cases they might already be quite familiar with someone. That person might be a friend, a regular customer at a bank, etc. In this case, it is not necessary for them to require identification. Unless the person is known to have a twin, it could become quite a nuisance for these professionals to have him or her show identification over and over again.

Sometimes they can have enough reasonable belief to suspect that the identity (i.e., driver’s license) someone presents is not legitimate. Certain forms of identification increasingly having enhanced security features which can make it more difficult to forge. However, forging a document is not impossible for someone with the proper skills and knowledge to do.

If an Oklahoma one ever has any doubts, then he/she has the right to request another form of suitable identification. If the individual cannot or otherwise refuses to provide such additional verification of his or her identity to the expert, then he/she can simply decline to notarize the document. They are never under any legal obligation to notarize anything, when they believe that the documents to be notarized or the identity of the signer might be false.

There are some other very important things that they must also keep in mind when performing his or her official duties in Oklahoma. They are not allowed by law to notarize documents for their family members. They should also not notarize a will or other item for someone else which grants them money, empowers them to become someone’s attorney-in-fact, etc.

Notarizing documents from family members or where they stand to profit is not necessarily illegal and unethical, but it may draw some of the items they have just notarized into question. Someone could call into question their intentions and other motivations, especially if they notarized a will. It is important to remember that an OKC notary public serves as a disinterested party who has no vested interest in the matter, other than to verify the identity of those signing the documents.

Oklahoma notaries public are also not permitted to notarize something and then date it before or after the actual day the person signed it. This is simply not legal for them to do. The same holds true if the person presenting the document has already dated the item differently than the date he or she is signing it. The date of the signing as stated on the document must always match the actual date.

Another important thing for them to remember is that a person seeking to have something notarized may not sign a document, prior to bringing it before them to have it notarized. In addition, an they should ensure that the client has not already filled out the document and has not left it blank.

As stated earlier, someone who brings a document before one must affirm before them that the information contained in the document is correct and true. This is why it is not permitted for an expert to notarize a document that the client has left blank or partially incomplete. It provides the opportunity for another person to add information in the blank spaces without affirming it to be true before an Oklahoma notary public.

The professional must also take care to never knowingly notarize a document on behalf of another notary public OKC.  Notarizing something for someone else without that person’s signature is strictly prohibited. Any official who knowingly does so can face fines and/or be incarcerated. Likewise, anyone who unlawfully uses a notary public’s stamp and/or signs his or her name on their signature line without first receiving the appropriate commissioned can also wind up in a world of trouble.

It goes without saying that notaries should take care to ensure that they familiarize themselves with the laws of their state. Oklahoma has specific laws which can help guide them as they perform their duties. Other organizations offer special courses which will provide nationally recognized certifications for them. These types of meritorious programs not only help them perform his or her duties better, but they can also help make clients, especially loan signing companies and banks, feel more at ease. Of course, sometimes knowing the laws is simply not enough, as mistakes can still happen.

Many mobile notaries also carry some type of errors and omissions (E&O) insurance.  This protects both them and the clients they serve, in the event they make a mistake. Oklahoma Judicial Process Servers and Private Investigators requires all of its experts to carry at least $100,000 of E&O insurance. This helps put our clients’ minds at ease, while protecting the company as well. We never had any claims pursued against its Oklahoma notary public division.

One question many people often ask us is, “What is the difference between a notary publicand a mobile notary?” In essence, they are both commissioned to notarize documents. The term “Oklahoma mobile notary” tends to refer to exactly what the title implies: one who is willing to be a mobile notary and travel to other individuals. Any one can work only from an office, can travel to meet with clients, or may do both.

Oklahoma’s laws dictate that they may not charge more than $5.00 per signature for standard signings. In essence, if a person comes to them and asks to have something notarized, then they cannot raise the price beyond the set $5.00 per time. However, if they go to someone’s house, over to a bank, etc., then they may charge whatever price he or she desires.

This does not necessarily mean that a client will pay the price one has requested, so sometimes the specialists and the client have to negotiate. Likewise, someone serving as one is performing a professional job and should be paid fairly. It is important to keep in mind that they often have to cover such things as the cost of the fuel for their vehicles, wear and tear on their cars, their commission fees, stamps, and ink, books, and liability insurance, as well as their valuable time.

The professionals at Oklahoma Judicial Process Servers and Private Investigators have dedicated themselves to their profession. They work very diligently and will accurately take care of all of your needs at a price you can afford. Please contact our prestigious notary public Oklahoma City division whenever you or anyone you know is in need of the best possible service in Oklahoma!

If you are still asking yourself, “What is a notary public?”, visit the notary public FAQ for more information.  You may also contact an Oklahoma notary public at (405) 593-3515 or by e-mail today!   Why wait?  Get a wonderful notary public OKC to notarize your documents for you now!