Hey - did you guys know

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Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
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that apparently any idiot can become a Notary? I am not sure what the actual qualifications are to be one but it doesn't appear to be 'Knows how to do their job'

We went to get a form notarized and the lady insisted she didn't need to fill out the state and county lines because it was in her stamp

Wrong. The form was rejected.

Went to another one and made sure she filled out the state and county. We did not make sure she had matching dates on the 'date signed on' field because - well you'd think a friggen Notary could enter the date she signed correctly more than once. She put down the 24th on one line and the 28th on another :rolleyes:

Sure we share some of the blame for thinking a notary would be a semi-competent person. Well, lesson learned. I was tempted to ask the third notary for their ID so I could make sure they spelled their name correctly but we made them go over every line with us - even the 'simple' ones like 'Date'
 
Printer Bandit

Printer Bandit

Lifer
Mar 16, 2005
13,864
108
106
Void-X-Self-Inking-Stamp-IS-0099.gif
 
HeXen

HeXen

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2009
7,832
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i am an notry 2. wood u lyk i make shore you're signature is legit for u?
 
cronos

cronos

Diamond Member
Nov 7, 2001
9,380
26
101
I thought in the US a notary is just someone at the bank who had their own stamp and will sign stuff for you, most of the time for free.
 
dave_the_nerd

dave_the_nerd

Lifer
Feb 25, 2011
16,835
1,503
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cronos said:
I thought in the US a notary is just someone at the bank who had their own stamp and will sign stuff for you, most of the time for free.
Click to expand...
A notary is somebody who is registered with the government as a dude-who-checks-to-make-sure-that-the-other-dude-signing-this-thing-is-alive-and-probably-who-they-say-they-are person.

A notary is required to witness most legal documents, which is why banks (loans and stuff) typically have a couple on staff all the time.

Actually becoming a notary is a one page test and a $50 application fee.
 
cronos

cronos

Diamond Member
Nov 7, 2001
9,380
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101
dave_the_nerd said:
A notary is somebody who is registered with the government as a dude-who-checks-to-make-sure-that-the-other-dude-signing-this-thing-is-alive-and-probably-who-they-say-they-are person.

A notary is required to witness most legal documents, which is why banks (loans and stuff) typically have a couple on staff all the time.

Actually becoming a notary is a one page test and a $50 application fee.
Click to expand...

Got it. It's close to what I thought :)

I know that in some other countries 'a notary' has to at least graduated law school!
 
dave_the_nerd

dave_the_nerd

Lifer
Feb 25, 2011
16,835
1,503
126
HeXen said:
And you can charge $20 a pop for it.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure you're not legally allowed to charge more than $1. Most places I've been do it for free.

Maybe that's a state thing though.

cronos said:
Got it. It's close to what I thought :)

I know that in some other countries 'a notary' has to at least graduated law school!
Click to expand...

Yeah, the term used to be used to refer to legal clerks that drew up contracts and stuff. It eventually, in american english at least, became focused on merely the witnessing of contracts.

In the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta "The Grand Duke" one of the characters is the Notary, who is the learned legal authority for the town in which the plot takes place.

...

Yes, I really do kick ass at Trivial Pursuit.
 
M

mikeford

Diamond Member
Jan 27, 2001
5,671
160
106
I don't think the notary fee is fixed, my bank does it free, but the local mail box and ship place charges about $5 or so. I've never had a notary may any mistake.
 
highland145

highland145

Lifer
Oct 12, 2009
43,614
6,002
136
i am an notry 2. wood u lyk i make shore you're signature is legit for u?
Click to expand...
This.

Registered voter....there are guidelines but...costs $35 for 10 years...

We just have to verify the ID.

I can sign marriage licenses and have ~20 under my belt. Did a 100+ attendee wedding once.

It is SC though. IIRC, OCGUY said it's a bit more rigorous in Cali.
 
notposting

notposting

Diamond Member
Jul 22, 2005
3,486
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Thanks, OP.

Closed on our first house yesterday, and while the notary there handling things seemed competent enough while I signed away my soul...
 
CPA

CPA

Elite Member
Nov 19, 2001
30,322
4
0
cronos said:
I thought in the US a notary is just someone at the bank who had their own stamp and will sign stuff for you, most of the time for free.
Click to expand...

Anyone can become a notary. You don't need to work at a bank.
 
CPA

CPA

Elite Member
Nov 19, 2001
30,322
4
0
dave_the_nerd said:
I'm pretty sure you're not legally allowed to charge more than $1. Most places I've been do it for free.

Maybe that's a state thing though.



Yeah, the term used to be used to refer to legal clerks that drew up contracts and stuff. It eventually, in american english at least, became focused on merely the witnessing of contracts.

In the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta "The Grand Duke" one of the characters is the Notary, who is the learned legal authority for the town in which the plot takes place.

...

Yes, I really do kick ass at Trivial Pursuit.
Click to expand...

I'm not trying to be a dick (well, maybe I am), but why wouldn't you think it's a state thing?
 
Sho'Nuff

Sho'Nuff

Diamond Member
Jul 12, 2007
6,211
121
106
dave_the_nerd said:
I'm pretty sure you're not legally allowed to charge more than $1. Most places I've been do it for free.

Maybe that's a state thing though.
Click to expand...

Maximum notary fees are generally set by state law. Notaries are free to charge less than the set maximum. Hence why you see the variation, both between states and between notaries.

Becoming a notary is trivially easy, as you say. They are basically a government sanctioned witness. All their signature means is that the person signing a form appeared before them, and was either personally known to them or their identity was established through accepted means. Nothing else.
 
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Sho'Nuff

Sho'Nuff

Diamond Member
Jul 12, 2007
6,211
121
106
notposting said:
Thanks, OP.

Closed on our first house yesterday, and while the notary there handling things seemed competent enough while I signed away my soul...
Click to expand...

Chances are the person handling your closing was an attorney that also happened to be a notary.
 
Fanatical Meat

Fanatical Meat

Lifer
Feb 4, 2009
34,759
16,032
136
**I believe** in the distant past a notary was simply someone who had a plaque that essentially said they can read & write.
 
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