Notarial Certificate Wording and Requirements Flashcards

What language must the notarial certificate in Hawaii be written in?

Answer: English — the certificate must be in English even if the document is in another language

Hawaii notarial certificates must be in English, even if the underlying document is written in a foreign language.

Can a Hawaii notary complete a notarial certificate that was already partially filled in by someone else?

Answer: Yes — the notary may complete blank portions as long as they verify the information is accurate

It is common for certificate forms to be pre-printed with some fields completed. The notary may fill in remaining blanks, sign, and seal the certificate.

A Hawaii notary signs a notarial certificate but forgets to affix their seal. What is the effect?

Answer: The notarization may be defective or invalid — the seal is a required element

The notary seal is a required element of a Hawaii notarial certificate. A missing seal makes the notarization potentially defective.

Which notarial certificate wording is appropriate for an acknowledgment in Hawaii?

Answer: 'Before me, the undersigned, personally appeared ___, who acknowledged that they signed the foregoing document'

Acknowledgment certificate language states that the signer personally appeared and acknowledged their signature — without reference to swearing or affirming.

A Hawaii notary must notarize a document but the certificate portion does not include a venue. What should the notary do?

Answer: Add the venue themselves by writing 'State of Hawaii, County of ___' before signing

The notary may and should add the venue if it is missing — it is a required element of a valid notarial certificate.

What does it mean when a Hawaii notarial certificate includes the words 'known to me to be'?

Answer: The notary identified the signer based on personal knowledge

The phrase 'known to me' refers to personal knowledge as the basis for the notary's identification of the signer.