A notarial certificate should include the notary’s signature, the date and location of the notarization, and the type of notarial act performed. The signer's social security number is not required and should not be included for privacy and security reasons.
If a document does not include a notarial certificate, the notary should refuse to notarize it. The notarial certificate is essential for completing the notarization, as it specifies the type of notarial act performed and ensures proper documentation.
For a jurat, the notary must ensure that the signer takes an oath or affirmation swearing that the contents of the document are true. The notarization must occur in the notary’s presence, but there is no requirement for witnesses or ink color.
For an acknowledgment, a notary must verify that the signer is personally present and acknowledges that they signed the document willingly. The notary does not need to verify the signer's credit history or the color of ink used on the document.
A notary should record the details of the notarial act in their journal after it is completed. This includes information such as the date, type of notarial act, and identifying details of the signer. Proper record-keeping is crucial for legal and procedural reasons.
