Notary Files and Forms
Notary Files and Forms tests the paperwork side of notarization: certificate wording, venue, seal impressions, application and renewal forms, and the records a notary should keep. Expect questions that require you to spot a defective certificate or choose the correct form for the signer's purpose.
Certificate forms
An acknowledgment and a jurat are not interchangeable. An acknowledgment certifies that the signer personally appeared, was identified, and acknowledged executing the document; the signer need not sign in the notary's presence. A jurat certifies that the signer signed in the notary's presence after an oath or affirmation. Every certificate should show the venue-State of Georgia, County of ______-the date, the notary's signature, and the seal. Do not leave blanks for later completion; complete the certificate at the time of the act.
Seal and records
Georgia law requires a notary seal that identifies the notary and the office. A compliant seal normally includes the notary's name, the words 'Notary Public,' the county of commission, and 'State of Georgia'; some seals also show the commission expiration date. The impression must be legible and reproducible. Georgia does not generally require a notary journal, but a notary who keeps one should record the date, signer's name, identification method, document type, and fee. Treat journal entries as confidential records.
Forms and filings
Use the Authority's current application and renewal forms, attach the approved training certificate, and report changes of name or address as required. A notary who loses a seal should stop using it and obtain a replacement that matches the commission. Keep copies of notarial certificates and correspondence in an orderly file.
Worked example
A client presents a signed affidavit for use in court, but the attached certificate says 'acknowledged before me' and bears no county. The form is defective for a sworn statement: an affidavit requires a jurat, not an acknowledgment, and the venue is missing. The notary should not simply add a county later without the signer present; the signer must appear again, be sworn, sign in the notary's presence, and receive a complete jurat.
Traps
Using a pre-signed blank certificate; writing 'sworn' on an acknowledgment; omitting the county or seal; relying on an embosser that cannot be photocopied; and failing to keep the seal secure.