What is a notary block, and why should you use one?
A notary block is a formal statement that certifies the authenticity of a signature on a document.
It confirms the signer appeared before a notary, was identified by them, and voluntarily signed the document in their presence.
But what does “notary” even mean?
And what is a “notary statement”? Let’s explore these concepts in a little more detail below.
What is a “notary block”?
A notary block – sometimes known as a “notary acknowledgment” – is a legal statement that certifies a document has been witnessed and approved by a notary public.
This is the formal name given to a public official whose role is to confirm the identities of the signatories to a document.
Once this is done, the document is signed in the presence of the notary, who adds a notary signature block to confirm its authenticity.
In doing so, the notary is also affirming that the parties signed voluntarily.
Many documents need notary public signature blocks to have full legal force. Examples include:
- Real estate deeds
- Legal affidavits
- Notarized letters
- Guardianship agreements
- Business contracts
- Vehicle transfers
- Name change petitions
Note that not all of these legal documents will need a notary public signature block in every jurisdiction.
Laws about notarization vary from state to state, so you should always check the requirements in your area before proceeding.
What is included in a notary block?
There are a few standard elements you’ll generally find in a notary signature block.
Again, the exact wording may vary depending on the state and document, but the following are commonplace:
- The state and county the document is being notarized in
- The date of signing
- A statement from the notary to explain how the signers’ identities were confirmed
- A statement that those signing did so of their own free will
- The notary public’s signature
- The notary public’s seal or stamp
- The notary’s commission expiry date
Notary signature blocks may differ regarding certain details, but for the most part, they tend to be pretty similar.
Notary signature block examples
It’s probably useful at this point to give some examples of notarized documents and the layout you can expect a notary acknowledgment to have.
First, here’s an example of a document signature block confirming a notary public has witnessed a document being signed:
State of [name of state]
County of ____________________
Signed before me on _______________________, 20____
by __________________________________ (name(s) of individual(s) making statement).
____________________________________
(Notary’s official signature)
____________________________________
(Title of office)
____________________________________
(Commission expiration)
Here’s a second example, this time to confirm an individual can legally act as a representative.
Note how the wording is slightly different, but the overall idea is the same:
State of [name of state]
County of ____________________
This record was acknowledged before me on _________________________, 20 _____
by _________________________ as (type of authority, such as officer or trustee) of
(name of party/entity on behalf of whom the record was executed).
(name of officer or agent, title of officer or agent) of (name of corporation acknowledging)
a (state or place of incorporation) corporation, on behalf of the corporation.
____________________________________
(Notary’s official signature)
____________________________________
(Title of office)
____________________________________
(Commission expiration)
Also, on a notary document, you’ll see a seal or stamp.
When an official is notarizing a document in the traditional way, this will literally be an inked stamp that includes the name of the notary, the state they’re licensed in, their ID number, and the date their commission expires.
Can notarization be done online?
Given that notarization usually involves a trusted public official having to be in the room when a document is signed, you may well assume that online notarization isn’t possible.
Here’s some good news. In recent times, remote online notarization (RON) has actually become legal in many jurisdictions.
Now, you may be wondering how you can notarize a document online. It’s all down to modern technology.
You see, a notary public has several specific legal obligations. Here’s a quick reminder of what they are:
- To verify the signers’ identities
- To witness the signatures
- To ensure everyone signing is doing so willingly
Notice that all of these can be carried out remotely using video conferencing and secure electronic signature software.
This means there’s no longer any need for a notarized signature to be signed on paper or in person.
How to create a notary block in PandaDoc
Creating a notary block is simplicity itself with PandaDoc’s Content Library.
This lets you create document items and templates by uploading files or building these from scratch.
For these documents to carry any legal weight, however, you will need a digital notary seal.
Check your state regulations to make sure you can access one of these.
Then, simply upload your document to the PandaDoc Content Library and build your notary block template from there.
RON: Quick, secure, and easy
The beauty of RON is that it’s fast and straightforward since there’s no need to meet with a notary in person.
And, with PandaDoc, you have everything you require to make it happen in one place.
Using PandaDoc Notary, you can build the necessary documents, use secure ID verification, invite multiple signers to sign at once, and use the Electronic Journaling feature to record and archive your notary sessions as soon as they’re complete.
You can also be sure that documents are state-compliant and tamper-proof using an X509 signing certificate.
Overall, this means you’ll benefit from smoother workflows and faster results, which is good news for both you and your clients.