Mobile Notary

I am a Florida Notary Public — a public officer appointed and commissioned by the Governor to:

   • Administer oaths;
   • Take acknowledgments of legal documents, including real property deeds;
   • Certify or attest to the validity of copies of documents; and
   • Perform other certification duties outlined by Florida law;
   • Officiate at a Marriage (Florida is 1 of 4 states that permit this)

The notary, Tom Hartnett, is the person who makes sure signatures are witnessed as necessary. The notary is empowered to put the executor under oath in order to verify a legal instrument’s claims and statements. Thus, a notary’s seal assures the public that the person who signed the document was properly identified, and that the document carries the force of the law.

Two mobile notary-specific websites are MyFlNotary.com and TheBestFloridaNotary.com

Verify A VIN

Florida law requires that, when applying for a Florida title for the first time on a used motor vehicle, the owner must sign a sworn statement that the vehicle identification number (VIN) and the odometer reading on the vehicle are correct. Notaries public are authorized to certify this information.

Certify Contents of Safe Deposit Box

Florida law provides that a financial institution may open a safe-deposit box if the rental fee is past due, providing that certain conditions are met. A notary public is authorized and required to be present for the opening of the safe-deposit box, to inventory the contents of the vault. The notary is not required to estimate the value of the contents of the safe-deposit box.

Solemnizing Marriage

Florida is one of only three states which authorize notaries public to perform marriage ceremonies. The couple must obtain a valid Florida marriage license from a county court judge or clerk of the circuit court and present it to the notary public before the marriage ceremony.

Oath or Affirmation

An oath or affirmation is administered when the signer is required to make a sworn statement about certain facts. The signer personally appears before the notary to swear (or affirm) that the information contained in the document is true. Sworn statements are commonly used in affidavits, depositions, and applications.

Acknowledgements

To take an acknowledgment, the document signer must personally appear before the notary public, and declare that he or she has signed the document voluntarily. Documents typically requiring an acknowledgment include deeds,mortgages, contracts, and powers of attorney.

Prohibited Acts for Notaries

A notary public may not notarize a signature on a document if: The person whose signature is being notarized is not in the presence of the notary at the time the signature is notarized; The document is incomplete; The notary public has a financial interest in or is a party to the underlying transaction. Also, a notary public may not give legal advice, unless the notary public is a licensed attorney.

THartnett.com