In America, around 1.25 billion documents are notarized every year. Notary publics provide notarization services that are an essential part of business and life in general.
What is a notary?
According to Notarize.com, “A notary public is a public official appointed by a state government to help deter fraud. Notary publics witness the signing of important documents and verify the identity of the signer(s), their willingness to sign the documents, and their awareness of the contents of the document or transaction.”
Why do documents need to be notarized?
Certain types of documents must be notarized in order to be legally binding. Properly notarizing a legal document is of such importance that state governments require a trained and qualified individual — a notary public — to perform the notarization. Following their official appointment, notary publics act as semi-public officials to certify that documentation has been appropriately executed.
Notarize.com adds, “Institutions rely upon notaries so they may have full faith in important documents. After witnessing a signing, a notary public applies their own details, such as their signature, seal, and notary commission details. When you see a notary’s seal on a document, it means a notary public verified that the transaction was authentic and properly executed.”
What types of documents require notarization?
The National Notary Association reports that the most common notarizations are for acknowledgments, jurats, oaths, affirmations, copy certifications, and signature witnessing. Other types of documents that may require the services of a notary include a power of attorney, wills, trusts, deeds, medical documents, living wills, forms, affidavits, passports, handgun permits, and vehicle titles.
Are notaries permitted to notarize any document under any circumstances?
Because the notary is performing a legal service, there are guidelines regarding what they may and may not notarize. In an article entitled “Prohibited Notarial Acts,” The National Notary Association writes, “All notaries must carefully and dutifully follow their state guidelines when executing notarial acts. Not only do state statutes and administrative rules define what notaries may legally do, they also define acts that notaries are prohibited from performing. These prohibitions are designed to protect the public and help ensure the credibility and integrity of transactions involving notaries. All conscientious and law-abiding notaries will decline to proceed with a notarial act if asked or pressured to perform a prohibited act. While some customers view this as an inconvenience, they should instead appreciate the notary’s efforts to ensure a lawfully executed transaction.”
Where can people find notarization services?
While The UPS Store is well known for its printing and shipping services, people may not realize that The UPS Store locations offer convenient notary services. Once the customer’s documents have been notarized, employees will help make any necessary copies, as well as ship the copies if they need to be sent to another party.
What do people need to bring to have documents notarized at The UPS Store?
Notary services are offered both by appointment and for walk-in clients. Convenient online appointment scheduling is available at more than 3,800 stores nationwide, which is around three-fourths of all The UPS Store locations.
When visiting the local center for notary services, customers will need to bring a valid, government-issued photo ID. In addition to notarization, some types of documents require the presence of witnesses, so check state laws if there is any question. Take into consideration that a notary public may not be permitted legally to simultaneously act as both a notary and a signature witness. Because some locations are not equipped to provide additional witnesses, contact the local store to inquire if signature witnesses are available.
Also, please note that many stores do not notarize either I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification forms or wills. Check with the local location if this type of notarization is needed.
Conclusion
The UPS Store at Westwood Shopping Center in Fayetteville, NC, is dedicated to meeting the needs of private customers and small business owners. The locally owned and operated business offers a wide range of capabilities from notary services to printing and design services and beyond.
For more information about the Fayetteville, NC notary services at The UPS Store at Westwood Shopping Center, visit the website at https://locations.theupsstore.com/nc/fayetteville/439-westwood-shopping-center. Contact the store by phone at (910) 860-1220 or by email at store2974@theupsstore.com.
