Avoid These Three Notary Mistakes

Common Mistakes That Can Lead To Legal Problems For Mobile Notaries

Notary Publics can find themselves in the hot seat if they become sloppy in their work. Performing bad notaries because of lack of attention to details or simply ignoring the importance of having proper documentation can lead to legal trouble for both the signer and the notaries.

1. Failing To Require The Document Signer To Appear

Legal Experts and Notary Experts all agreed that failing to require a signer to physically appear before the Notary Public is the most common mistake that lands Notaries in legal hot water. Notarizing without a signer’s personal appearance is a violation of Massachusetts Law and in every state and territory. It can result in major financial and legal penalties. Our Mobile Notary Signing Agents will always require the signer to be present and with valid Government-Issued Photo Ids.

2. Failing To Properly Record Notarizations

The second most common error is failing to keep a record of their notarial acts, especially in states that do not require it. But that’s a problem because a properly maintained journal is your best protection if someone makes a claim against you. Failing to record information in the journal when the law requires it as it does in Massachusetts, can be a serious problem. That is why we travel with our Journal and log all Signer’ information and collect their signatures as required by the law.

3. No ID, No Notary Service

Unless the signer personally appears and presents a valid photo ID, our Notary cannot do the notarization. Period. While writing incorrect information on certificate wording or forgetting to write in information is often done accidentally, it’s a situation that can cause major headaches for a signer and trouble for the Notary if a problem with a document results. Also, be mindful that letting others use your Notary seal or not properly securing your seal can be damaging.