Notarization is the process of authenticating a document by a commissioned Notary Public, assuring that its signature is genuine and that the signer acted without duress or intimidation. The key value lies in the Notary’s impartial screening of a signer for identity, willingness and awareness. This screening detects and deters document fraud, helping protect the personal rights and property of private citizens from forgery, identity theft and exploitation.
When notarized, a document will be marked with a stamp, or seal, which indicates that the signature on the document is legitimate. A Notary Public watches you sign a document, and then places the stamp near your signature. This signifies that it was you who signed the document, not someone posing as you.