The National Notary Association (NNA) is a professional organization in the United States dedicated to supporting and educating notaries public. Founded in 1957, the NNA helps notaries understand their legal responsibilities and provides resources to ensure they perform their duties ethically and legally. Its services include training programs, certification, professional guidance, and resources for notaries of all experience levels.
The NNA also advocates for legislation and standards to improve the profession, such as standards for electronic and remote notarizations, which have grown in importance as digital transactions become more common. The organization offers products like notary supplies, insurance, and educational resources, as well as an annual conference for networking and professional development.
Many documents requiring an apostille need to be correctly notarized prior to submission to a Secretary of State or USDOS office to obtain an apostille.
A notarial certificate is a document attached to or included in a notarized document, where a notary public confirms the facts of the notarization. It provides details such as the date, location, type of notarial act, and specific statements that verify the identity and willingness of the individual(s) involved in the notarization.
There are a few types of notarial certificates based on the type of notarial act performed, including:
- Acknowledgment Certificate: This certifies that a person has appeared before the notary and acknowledged signing a document willingly.
- Jurat Certificate: This certifies that a person appeared before the notary, signed the document in the notary’s presence, and took an oath or affirmation attesting to the truthfulness of the document.
- Copy Certification Certificate: This certifies that a document is a true copy of an original document, which the notary has examined.
The notary will include their signature, seal, and commission details on the notarial certificate. Each type of certificate has specific wording requirements that vary depending on jurisdiction.
If the wording on a notarial certificate does not meet the standards of the Secretary of State or USDOS office, or if the notary doesn’t correctly complete the certificate, a submitted for request for an apostille can be rejected.
Mindy Strum is a Certified Apostille Agent with 10+ years as a notary public in the state of Florida. Florida Notary Public, LLC DBA Apostille FLA provides apostille services from each state and the USDOS.
