NJ Notary cheat sheet

A notary must personally appear with the signer; the notary cannot notarize their own signature or a document in which they have a beneficial interest.

A notary must verify identity of each signer, typically by personal knowledge or by satisfactory evidence such as a government-issued photo ID.

A notary must administer an oath or affirmation whenever the notarial act is a jurat, affidavit, or other sworn statement.

The notary journal should record the date, type of act, document description, signer name and address, and identification presented.

A notary's commission is personal and cannot be delegated; an assistant may not perform notarial acts on the notary's behalf.

The notary seal or stamp must be applied to each notarial certificate and must be legible; an illegible impression should be corrected by a new impression.

A notary must complete the notarial certificate at the time of the act; blank or pre-signed certificates should not be left for later completion.

A notary must decline to act if the signer appears unwilling, lacks awareness, or is not physically present before the notary.

An acknowledgment certifies that the signer personally appeared, was identified, and acknowledged executing the document voluntarily.

A jurat certifies that the signer personally appeared, was identified, signed in the notary's presence, and swore or affirmed the contents.

An oath is a vow before a deity; an affirmation is a solemn promise without reference to a deity; both carry the same legal effect for notarial purposes.

A copy certification verifies that a copy is a true and exact reproduction of an original document; some jurisdictions restrict which documents may be copy-certified.

A signature witnessing certifies that the signer appeared and signed in the notary's presence, without an oath or acknowledgment.

The notarial certificate must state the date, the venue (state and county), the notary's name, commission expiration, and seal.

If the certificate wording is missing or incorrect, the notary may attach a loose certificate or correct the certificate, but must not alter the document body.

A notary should record the type of identification presented and the name of the issuing authority in the journal entry.

A notary may not perform a notarial act if the notary is a signer, a party to the transaction, or named as a beneficiary.

A notary may not use a seal or commission that has expired, been revoked, or been suspended.

A notary may not notarize a document with a blank signature line or a blank certificate; the signer must sign before the notary.

A notary may not certify a copy of a public record, a vital record, or a document whose certification is prohibited by law.

A notary may not disclose confidential information obtained during a notarial act except as required by law or court order.

Falsely certifying a notarial act or making a false statement on a notarial certificate can constitute a criminal offense.

A notary may not charge a fee exceeding the statutory maximum for a notarial act.

A notary may not perform a notarial act for a person the notary knows lacks capacity or is being coerced.

An applicant must meet the statutory age, residency, and citizenship or legal-status requirements before applying.

An application typically requires a completed form, an application fee, and a surety bond or equivalent in the statutory amount.

An applicant must take and pass a required notary examination where the jurisdiction mandates one.

An applicant must submit to a background check or fingerprinting where required by the commissioning authority.

The commission term is set by statute; the notary must apply for renewal before expiration to avoid a lapse.

The notary must file an oath of office and a bond with the designated official within the statutory time after appointment.

The notary must obtain a seal or stamp that includes the required statutory elements, such as name, commission number, and expiration date.

Statutory maximum fees per notarial act are fixed by law; the notary may charge less but not more, and must disclose fees before performing the act.