Frequently Asked Questions

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A Notary Public is a public officer who serves as an impartial witness to the signing and  acknowledgement of signatures on documents. A Notary Public may also administer oaths and affirmations.  A commissdioned New Jersey Notary Public is authorized to perform notary services throughout the State of New Jersey.  A notary public is a ministerial officer and is not authorized to draft or prepare legal documents unless the notary is also an attorney at law. 

Many affidavits, powers of attorney, real estate deeds, loan papers, and other types of documents must be properly notarized to become legally binding.  In addition, many types of letters, authorizations and documents used in international trade and travel require the acknowledgement of a notary public.

The primary purpose of notarization is the prevention of fraud.  The Notary Public acts a witness to the subscription (signing) of legal documents and helps to protect the legal rights of the persons whose signature are being notarized.  The Notary Public must assure the persons signing a document are who they claim to be and are signing the document willingly.

Most document notarizations have the following steps:

• The process begins when a signer(s) needing a document to be notarized, personally appears before the notary.
• The notary asks the signer(s) for government issued photo ID to verify their identity with both a physical description and signature.  Examples of proper identification include state issued photo drivers license, U.S. passport, USCIS Permanent Resident Card, or a U.S. military ID card .  Identification may not be required if the signer is personally known to the notary public.
• The notary begins logging the names and ID information of the signer(s) in his/her official journal.  The subscribers will be asked to place their signature in the journal record.
• The notary checks the document for completeness.  This is not a formal legal review, such as would be performed by an accountant or an attorney. Rather, it is a review to ensure that there are no blanks in the document. Should blanks be discovered, the signer must either fill them in or strike them out by drawing a line or "X" through them.  This prevents others from altering or amending the document after it has been signed and notarized.
• The notary asks the signer if they understand the title of the document and is signing freely and willingly.
• If the document is an affidavit, the notary will take an oath or affirmation from the signer to ensure truthfulness.
• The signer signs the document in the presence of the notary.
• The notary signs and dates an endorsement or acknowledgement and affixes an official stamp to the document.  Usually this acknowledgement or jurat section is included at the bottom of the document.  Occasionally a separate form will be used and attached to the document.
• The notary completes the log entry in his/her official journal detailing the document title, date, time and place of notarization. 

Notarization of a single signature document usually takes about 15 minutes to perform.

We offer a wide range of legal Services including general notary work (GNW), signature witnessing, apostille and more. 

Our fees vary depending on the specific service and complexity of the case. Please contact us for a free consultation and quote.

No. We are not attorneys licensed to practice law and may not give legal advice about immigration or any other legal matter or accept fees for legal advice.

Apostilles and certifications are state issued documents that attest to the legal status of notaries public and selected public officials.  They are often used in transactions involving international document exchange, including adoption transactions. An apostille is provided if the transaction involves a country that subscribes to the Hague Treaty.  In New Jersey, the Division of Revenue handles requests for certification or apostilles.  Northern NJ Notary can assist in the process of notarizing and certifying documents for international adoption and business..