To get a paper notarized, bring the document and a valid government-issued photo ID to a commissioned notary public, who will confirm your identity, watch you sign or hear you acknowledge the signature, and then apply an official seal. Notaries work out of banks, shipping stores, law offices, county clerks’ offices, and many public libraries. Most appointments take only a few minutes and cost between $2 and $15 per signature, with the cap set by state law. If you cannot leave home, nearly every state now allows remote online notarization by live video.
Where to Find a Notary
Most retail banks and credit unions keep at least one notary on staff, and many waive the fee for account holders. That is usually the cheapest option if you have an account somewhere.
Shipping and business service centers are the next most common stop. The UPS Store offers notary services at participating locations for a fee during regular business hours.1The UPS Store. Notary Services at The UPS Store FedEx Office locations sometimes have a notary available, but it varies by store, so call first.
Law firms and real estate offices routinely notarize deeds, affidavits, and powers of attorney. County clerk offices and other local government buildings are reliable, particularly for anything headed into public records. Some public libraries offer notary services for a small fee or free, though hours are limited and you should confirm by phone before going.
If you cannot travel, a mobile notary will come to your home, a hospital, or another location for an added travel fee. Active-duty military members and their dependents can use judge advocates and other authorized legal assistance personnel at no cost.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 10 USC 1044a – Authority to Act as Notary Americans abroad can use U.S. embassies and consulates for $50 per consular seal.3U.S. Department of State. Notarial and Authentication Services at U.S. Embassies and Consulates
What to Bring
You need a valid, government-issued photo ID. A state driver’s license, a current U.S. passport, or a military ID card is typically accepted. Expired IDs are generally not. If you have no acceptable photo ID, some states let you bring a credible identifying witness: someone who personally knows you, has their own valid ID, and will swear an oath confirming who you are. Rules for credible witnesses vary by state, so call ahead if you plan to use one.
Bring the document itself. Whether you should sign it before you arrive depends on the type of notarial act, covered in the next section. Either way, the document should be fully filled out. Blank spaces in the main body create fraud risk, and the notary can refuse to proceed if the document looks incomplete.
Every notarization needs a notarial certificate, the block of text where the notary records the location, signs, and applies the seal. Many pre-printed forms already include this language. If yours does not, the notary can usually attach a separate certificate. Sorting that out ahead of time avoids a wasted trip.
Acknowledgment or Jurat
The two most common notarial acts are acknowledgments and jurats, and the difference affects how you prepare.
An acknowledgment confirms that you signed a document willingly and for its intended purpose. You do not have to sign in front of the notary; you can sign beforehand and then appear in person to declare the signature is yours. Deeds and powers of attorney commonly use acknowledgments. The certificate wording typically contains the phrase “acknowledged before me.”
A jurat is used when you swear or affirm under oath that the contents of the document are true. You must sign in the notary’s presence, and a pre-signed document will not work. The notary administers a spoken oath, and you must answer verbally; a nod is not sufficient. Affidavits and sworn statements usually need jurats. The wording typically reads “subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me.”
The document, or the party requesting it, should tell you which act is needed. If it does not, ask the requesting party, not the notary. A notary who is not also a licensed attorney is not permitted to tell you which type your document requires, because doing so could amount to the unauthorized practice of law.
What Happens at the Appointment
The notary first verifies your identity by examining your photo ID against your appearance. Some states also allow a notary to rely on personal knowledge of the signer.
Next, the notary assesses whether you understand what you are signing and are acting of your own free will. This is not a deep legal evaluation. The notary may ask whether you understand the purpose of the document and whether anyone is pressuring you. If the notary sees confusion, incoherence, or coercion, they are required to stop.
For a jurat, you then sign in front of the notary and take the oath. For an acknowledgment, you verbally confirm that the signature on the document is yours and was made voluntarily. The notary records the transaction in a journal, noting the date, document type, your name, and how your identity was verified. Not every state requires a journal, but it is standard practice.
Finally, the notary applies their official stamp or embossed seal to the certificate, then signs and dates it. The seal typically shows the notary’s name, the state of commission, and in many states the commission expiration date or number.
When a Notary Can Refuse
A notary is not obligated to notarize every document, and in several situations they are required to refuse:
- You cannot prove your identity through acceptable ID or a credible witness.
- The signer is not physically present. Someone else cannot bring your document in for you.
- The document has blank spaces in the main body.
- The signer appears coerced, confused, or lacking mental capacity.
- The transaction looks fraudulent.
- The notary has a conflict of interest, such as being named in the document or receiving a direct financial benefit. A few states also bar notaries from acting for spouses, parents, or children; most allow it absent another disqualifying interest.
If you are turned away, ask why. Many refusals are fixable: bring a better ID, complete the blank fields, or find a different notary with no conflict.
If You Can’t Go in Person
Nearly all states now authorize remote online notarization through a live video call. You upload your document to an approved platform, then connect with a notary in a recorded audio-video session. Identity is verified through knowledge-based authentication, where you answer personal security questions drawn from public records, often combined with credential analysis of your ID on camera.
Once your identity is confirmed, you sign the document electronically during the session while the notary observes. The notary applies a digital seal and certificate, which creates a tamper-evident record: any later changes to the file will be detectable. The video recording is retained as additional proof the notarization happened properly.
Remote notarizations cost more than in-person visits because the platform charges a technology fee on top of the notary’s fee. A mobile notary is the other at-home option; they will travel to you and charge a travel fee in addition to the per-signature fee.
Fees
Most states cap what a notary can charge per act. For standard in-person work, the state-set maximums generally run from $2 to $15 per signature. A few states, including Alaska and Arkansas, set no statutory maximum and leave the fee to the notary. Many banks and credit unions do not charge their own account holders at all.
Remote online notarizations are more expensive because of the platform’s technology fee. Mobile notary travel charges are often not capped by state law, so ask for the full price before booking. If cost matters, a bank or credit union where you already have an account is usually the cheapest route.
Using the Document in Another State or Abroad
A document notarized in one state is generally recognized in every other state. The validity is judged by the law of the state where the notary performed the act, not the state where you plan to use it. You do not need to re-notarize when sending a document across state lines.
For international use, you likely need an additional authentication. If the receiving country is a member of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, you need an apostille, a certificate that authenticates the notary’s seal for foreign governments.4USA.gov. Authenticate an Official Document for Use Outside the U.S. For state-notarized documents, the apostille comes from the secretary of state in the state where the notarization occurred. For federal documents, it comes from the U.S. Department of State. Countries not party to the Convention may require a full authentication certificate instead, which involves added steps through state and federal agencies.
What a Notary Cannot Do
A notary’s role is narrow: verify identity, witness signatures, and administer oaths. Unless they are also a licensed attorney, a notary cannot give legal advice, explain what a document means, or tell you whether to sign it. They cannot help draft, fill out, or edit the document. And they cannot choose the notarial act for you; whether you need an acknowledgment or a jurat has to come from you or the party requesting the document.
If you have questions about what the document says or does, consult an attorney or the agency requesting it before your appointment. Settle those questions first, then bring the finished paper and your ID to the notary.