Frequently Asked Questions

Notarization is a simple, secure process that is meant to serve as a fraud-deterrent in various types of interactions and transactions. It is one of the oldest and most tried methods of fraud-deterrence in the United States, and it is authorized and regulated by the laws of every state and U.S. territory. The process of notarization ensures that the document being used is authentic and can be trusted by anyone who sees it. Notarization is a three-part process in which a Notary Public verifies the individual or company, certifies the documents, and creates a record of the notarization. This process is often called a "notarial act".

A Notary Public, often referred to as a "notary," is a public officer that has been granted the position by the law and has been qualified and licensed by their state of residence to perform notarial acts on behalf of the public. A notary receives special training by their state, and upon completion of the training, a notary is given a certification from their state. The requirements differ from state to state; some require an educational course, while others require education and an exam. Notaries can handle a variety of different situations, ranging from simple signature authentications to vehicle sales, and can even be involved in will signings and real estate transactions. Notaries may also work with people from all 50 states, so long as the notary is performing the work from within the state they are certified in.

Many documents need to be notarized in order to be valid, but other types of documents can optionally be notarized as well. A list of the types and kinds of documents that you may need to have notarized or can be notarized can be found here.

• Judicial
  • - Affidavits (Jurats and Acknowledgements)
  • - Certain types of Non-authenticating Written Evidence
• Legal
  • - Wills
  • - Trusts
  • - Advance Directives
  • - Do Not Resuscitate Orders
  • - Power of Attorney
  • - Custody or Guardianship Agreements
  • - Conservatorship Agreements
  • - Executorship Agreements
• Financial Documents
  • - Mortgage Documents
  • - Property Deeds and Records
  • - Bills of Sale
  • - Stock Grant Agreements
  • - Stock Certificates
  • - Credit and Loan Documents
• Business Documents
  • - Articles of Incorporation
  • - Memorandums of Understanding
  • - Letters of Intent
  • - Contracts
  • - Leases
  • - Settlements
  • - Construction Agreements
• Miscellaneous Documents
  • - Passport Application Documents
  • - International Documents
  • - Translations
  • - Educational Transcripts and Degrees
  • - Parental Consent Forms (for travel)
  • - Medical Authorizations

Please consult with a specialist or review your state's laws to determine whether you need a specific document notarized, or whether a document can be notarized at all. Certain original documents cannot be notarized (IDs, Passports, etc.) depending on the state. NotaryBerry will do its best to match you with a notary that can satisfy your requests.

Remote Online Notarization ("RON") is a fairly new process available to notaries and to the public. Before 2011, all notarizations had to be conducted in person, typically with all the parties in the notary's office. Virginia paved the way for online notarization, allowing notaries and the public to meet over video conferencing softwares such as Google Meet or Zoom. A small number of states authorized RON soon after, but the Covid-19 pandemic created a significant need for remote notarizations. In early 2020, dozens of states implemented temporary or permanent laws permitting RON, and since then the process has seen a considerable increase in interest. The RON process uses specially-designed software to ensure that customers and notaries have a simple, seamless, and speedy experience from start to finish.

When you are using NotaryBerry to get your document notarized, you need to have several items with you to ensure the notarization session can go smoothly. You will also receive an email letting you know what exactly you will need before the session begins.

When you request an online notarization, you will upload the document to be notarized. You will also provide your payment information and preferred schedule of the notarization session.

• Once you enter the notarization session, you will need:
• 1. Your photo ID (Driver's License, State/Federal ID, Passport, etc.);
• 2. The last 4 digits of your Social Security Number (SSN);
• 3. An electronic device with a webcam and microphone; and
• 4. A stable internet connection.

RON may seem somewhat daunting at first, but the process is very easy to set up and go through. First, you will need to upload your document to the notary site. Second, you will choose a date and time, and a notary will be found for you; however, if you have a particular notary you want to notarize with, ask them personally to invite you. Third, you will be required to complete a small quiz before your notarization to verify that you are the correct person. Fourth, you will be asked to join a live notarization session using an electronic device. You will speak with your notary, sign your document, and complete your session. Finally, download your signed document. Each session typically will take no longer than 15 minutes and can be done from the comfort of your home or office. Simple and fast!

RON sessions can be used for dozens of different documents, verifications, and types of transactions. A notary can do all of the following, and more:

• Perform acknowledgements of signatures on documents, such as vehicle title transfers, leases, or property deeds;
• Witness and notarize the signing of a document, including contracts or immigration documents;
• Witness and notarize a will signing;
• Authorize and authenticate a Power-of-Attorney document;
• Conduct a Jurat (an official oath given to authenticate a document) for the civil and criminal justice system;
• Conduct a certification of a copy of an original document, which can be for passports, educational transcripts and degrees, birth certificates, or personal papers that cannot be copy-certified by public record offices and government agencies.

Notaries and notary services with special training can also conduct mortgage signings and other specific transactions that require more specialized knowledge.

Use of NotaryBerry will be valid in any state in the U.S. Notaries are allowed to work with individuals seeking notarization across state lines, subject to specific requirements. First, a notary is permitted to conduct an online notarial act with an individual located in a different state, but only if the notary is in the state that they received their notary license from at the time they conduct the act. Second, a notary is required to follow all the rules and requirements applicable to online notarization in their specific state, regardless of where the individual seeking the notarization is located.

Absolutely! There are a few ways to have a document notarized for free; most notably, you can reach out to a friend or acquaintance that is a notary and ask them to perform the act. You can also go to your local bank, as many banks have in-house notaries, where they may offer that service for free. However, you will still need to go to the notary and meet them in person, and with banks, you will need to arrive during banking hours. NotaryBerry is often a more convenient solution because using our platform allows you to notarize a document from your home, and at any hour of the day.

A power of attorney (POA) document is a legal document that gives a third party or other organization the power and ability to act on behalf of another person and to make legally significant decisions for them. A POA can give a wide range of powers and rights to a third party, and therefore need to be verified and confirmed in order to be valid. This is done through a notary public.

In order for a POA to be considered valid, it must be signed by the grantor in front of a commissioned notary public, whose responsibility is to verify that the signature is that of the grantor, to ensure the agreement is freely entered into, and to be a witness for the event.

This process typically used to involve going to a bank or finding a notary to conduct the process, but now you can do this easily from anywhere when using NotaryBerry.

An affiant is an important person in a court case who will almost always need to seek the services of a notary public. An affiant is any person who files an affidavit that will be used as a written statement used as evidence in a court case. To prove that an affiant is telling the truth in their affidavit, they must go to a notary with their affidavit and have the notary administer a jurat, which is a witnessed signing of the affidavit and the issuance of an oath or affirmation. An affiant who has obtained a jurat for their affidavit can be punished by a court for perjury if it is discovered later that they have lied in their affidavit.

Notary acknowledgement is the first type of judicial notarization, the second type being a jurat. Obtaining a notary acknowledgement may be an important and necessary step to take when involved in a court case, as it could be required to submit an affidavit. There are several differences between a jurat and an acknowledgment.

• A notary acknowledgement requires that:
• 1. The signer appears in front of the notary (in person or remotely);
• 2. The notary must affirmatively identify the signer's identity;
• 3. The signer must sign the document, either in front of the notary or before the session; and
• 4. The signer must declare that they have signed the document for its intended purpose.

This process can typically take a long time and can extend the length of a court case occasionally. However, NotaryBerry can significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to obtain a jurat by cutting down on travel time, wait time, and inconveniences of an in-person process.

A jurat is the second of the two types of judicial notarizations, the first type being an acknowledgement. Obtaining a jurat may be an important and necessary step to take when involved in a court case, as it is required to submit certain forms of evidence. A jurat can only be obtained through notary public.

The purpose of the jurat is to demonstrate that the contents of an affidavit (a written statement submitted as evidence) are truthful, so that the affidavit can be used as evidence. This is done through a notary, who will administer an oath or affirmation that the contents of the affidavit are true under penalty of perjury.

• A jurat requires that:
• 1. The signer appears in front of the notary (in person or remotely) and signs the document;
• 2. Depending on the state, the notary identify the signer as themselves; and
• 3. The notary administers a spoken oath or affirmation, and the signer must vocally respond (alternate communication methods are acceptable for hearing impaired signers).

This process can typically take a long time and can extend the length of a court case occasionally. However, NotaryBerry can significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to obtain a jurat by cutting down on travel time, wait time, and inconvenience of an in-person process.

NotaryBerry works on Google Chrome and Safari browsers. You will need a device with a working webcam and microphone. A stable internet connection with at least 5 Mbps download/upload speed is recommended for a smooth video session.

When you schedule a session, please be mindful of the time zone where your notary is currently located. Notaries are real people with working hours, so choosing a time that works for both parties will help ensure a smooth and timely session.

NotaryBerry uses a multi-step identity verification process. Your unexpired driver's license is preferred, but a passport will work as well. You will also complete a Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA) session where you must correctly answer at least 4 out of 5 questions within 2 minutes. If you fail the verification process twice, you will be locked out for 48 hours before you can try again.