The process is very simple:
- 1) Bring the documents you want to
notarize to a Notary Public and - 2) sign it in his/her presence. DO
NOT SIGN the documents beforehand. He/she must to see you signing the
document. - 3) The Notary Public will date and sign
the document and add a stamp to notarize it.
* You
will be asked to show a photo ID (Drive License or passport)
HOW
MUCH DOES IT COST TO NOTARIZE A DOCUMENT?
It usually costs $1 or $2 per
signature (not per document). Be aware that one document (with
multiple pages) might require multiple signatures.
It is a good idea to have the
Notary Public recognizes the signatures being notarized in written and includes
a “statement of acknowledgement”:
For example,
The document should have written in
full “I truly recognize the signature of … (indicating the name (s) of
the person (s) whose signature (s) have been authenticated)” as well as the
full address of the Notary Public on the stamp placed on the document.
The Notary Public MUST have a valid
license to notarize your documents, otherwise your documents will return
without being processed. Visit the website below to check Notary Public
status near you:
PS: In some
cases (e.g., Authorization for passport issuance for minors, the Authorization
must be signed by both parents, notarized by a notary public and the notary
public’s signature must be certified by the Secretary of State or The County Clerk).
*For more
information on this topic, check our Blog on “Passport
issuance for minors BY MAIL,” e “Apostille for
Documents”
WHERE
TO FIND A NOTARY PUBLIC? WHERE I CAN NOTARIZE DOCUMENTS?
Banks and public libraries usually have
a Notary Public available. Check with the library and banks near you.
If you live in Champaign-Urbana, chick here to download the Notary and Proctoring list of our area.
WHY
DO I HAVE TO NOTARIZE A DOCUMENT?
The purpose of notarization is to
prevent fraud and forgery. A notary acts as an official and unbiased witness to
the identity of persons who comes before the notary for a specific purpose.
Notes from the Urbana Free Library
- “Please
do not sign your documents beforehand. The Notary Public is required to
see you sign your documents. - Each
person signing the document must be present for us to notarize that
signature. - An
ID with your signature is required so that we can verify your
identity. PLEASE NOTE: Under recent changes in state
law, the ID must be issued by a state or federal government agency and
must bear the photographic image of the individual’s face and signature.
o Examples of acceptable IDs issued by a state or federal
government agency with both a photographic image and signature are a valid
state driver’s license or ID card, a United States military ID, or valid
passport.
o Examples of IDs we cannot accept are Social Security cards, a
United States passport card, or University of Illinois IDs that do not bear a
photographic image or signature.
- Some
documents require one or more witnesses. The library often can provide
witnesses, but we can’t guarantee enough staff would be available. If your
document requires witnesses as well as your own signature and
notarization, please plan to bring with you a sufficient number of people
willing to serve as your witnesses. - The
library cannot notarize government I-9 forms or Cook County deeds, nor can
we provide an Apostille.”
For more information, check the Urbana Free Library Website
Questions? suggestions? Did you have a different experience? Send them our way! We are here to share experiences and help each other!
Thanks and Good Luck!