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NotaryPublicAccessSystemGovernorsNotarySection

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FromChapter117,FloridaStatutes
Anotarypublicmaynotnotarizeasignatureona
documentif:

OtherProhibited
Acts

Don'tNotarize
Photographs
Don'tProvide
CertifiedCopiesof
BirthCertificates
Don'tNotarize
BlankDocuments
Assesment
Selfassesment

Question1
Question2
Question3
Question4
Question5
Question6

Thepersonwhosesignatureisbeingnotarizedisnotin
thepresenceofthenotaryatthetimethesignatureis
notarized.117.107(9).
Thedocumentisincomplete.117.107(10).
Thenotarypublicactuallyknowsthattheperson
signingthedocumenthasbeenadjudicatedmentally
incapacitated.117.107(4).
Thepersonwhosesignatureistobenotarizedisthe
spouse,son,daughter,mother,orfatherofthenotary
public.17.107(11).
Thenotarypublichasafinancialinterestinorisa
partytotheunderlyingtransaction.17.107(12).
Also,anotarypublicmaynot:
Givelegaladvice,unlessthenotarypublicisalicensed
attorney.117.01(4)(f).
Takeanacknowledgmentofexecutioninlieuofan
oathifanoathisrequired.117.03.
Obtainoruseanotarycommissioninanameother
thanhisorherlegalname.117.05(1).
Notarizehisorherownsignature.117.05(1).
Chargemorethan$10foranyonenotarialactormore
than$20forsolemnizingtheritesofmatrimony.
117.05(2),117.045,28.24(29),&839.11.
Notarizeasignatureonadocumentunlessthenotary
personallyknowsthesignerorhassatisfactory
evidenceofidentification.117.05(5).
Actasanotarypublicafterhisorhercommissionhas
expired.117.05(8).
Translatethephrase"NotaryPublic"intoalanguage

otherthanEnglishinanadvertisementfornotarial
services.117.05(11).
Attesttothetruenessofaphotocopyofapublicrecord
ifacopycanbemadebyanotherpublicofficial.
117.05(12)(a).
Useanameorinitialinsigningcertificatesotherthan
thatbywhichthenotarypubliciscommissioned.
117.107(1).
Signablankformofaffidavitorcertificateof
acknowledgment.117.107(3).
Taketheacknowledgmentofapersonwhoisblind
untilthenotarypublichasreadtheinstrumenttosuch
person.117.05(14)(a).
Taketheacknowledgmentofapersonwhodoesnot
speakorunderstandtheEnglishlanguage,unlessthe
natureandeffectoftheinstrumenttobenotarizedis
translatedintoalanguagewhichthepersondoes
understand.117.107(6).
Changeanythinginawritteninstrumentafterithas
beensignedbyanyone.117.107(7).
Notarizeasignatureonadocumentifitappearsthat
thepersonismentallyincapableofunderstandingthe
natureandeffectofthedocumentatthetimeof
notarization.117.107(5).
Backtotop
PenaltiesforViolations
(GroundsforSuspension)
TheStateConstitutionauthorizestheGovernortosuspenda
notarypublicfromofficefor"malfeasance,misfeasance,
neglectofduty,drunkenness,incompetence,permanent
inabilitytoperformhisofficialduties,orcommissionofa
felony."s.7,Art.IV,Fla.Const.
Subsection117.01(4)oftheFloridaStatutes
provides:
TheGovernormaysuspendanotarypublicforanyofthe
groundsprovidedins.7,Art.IVoftheStateConstitution.
Groundsconstitutingmalfeasance,misfeasance,orneglect
ofdutyinclude,butarenotlimitedto,thefollowing:
(a)Amaterialfalsestatementontheapplication.
(b)Acomplaintfoundtohavemeritbythe
Governor.
(c)Failuretocooperateorrespondtoan
investigationbytheGovernor'sOfficeorthe
DepartmentofStateregardingacomplaint.

(d)Officialmisconductasdefinedins.839.25.
(e)Falseormisleadingadvertisingrelatingto
notarypublicservices.
(f)Unauthorizedpracticeoflaw.
(g)Failuretoreportachangeinbusinessor
homeaddressortelephonenumberwithinthe
specifiedperiodoftime.
(h)Commissionoffraud,misrepresentationor
anyintentionalviolationofChapter117.
(i)Chargingfeesinexcessoffeesauthorizedby
Chapter117.
(j)Failuretomaintainthebondrequired.
CivilPenalty
Section117.107(9)oftheFloridaStatutesprovidesinpart:
Anotarypublicmaynotnotarizeasignatureonadocument
ifthepersonwhosesignatureisbeingnotarizedisnotinthe
presenceofthenotarypublicatthetimethesignatureis
notarized.Anynotarypublicwhoviolatesthisparagraphis
guiltyofacivilinfraction,punishablebypenaltynot
exceeding$5,000,andthatconductconstitutesmalfeasance
andmisfeasanceintheconductofofficialduties.Itisno
defensetothecivilinfractionspecifiedinthisparagraphthat
thenotarypublicactedwithoutintenttodefraud.Anotary
publicwhoviolatesthisparagraphwiththeintenttodefraud
isguiltyofviolatings.117.105.
CriminalPenalties
Nopersonshallobtainoruseanotarypublic
commissioninotherthanhislegalname,anditis
unlawfulforanotarypublictonotarizehisown
signature.Anypersonapplyingforanotarypublic
commissionmustsubmitproofofhisidentitytothe
DepartmentofStateifsorequested.Anypersonwho
violatestheprovisionsofthissubsectionisguiltyofa
felonyofthethirddegree,punishableasprovidedins.
775.082s775.083,ors.775.084.117.05(1).
Anypersonwhoactsasorotherwisewillfully
impersonatesanotarypublicwhilenotlawfully
appointedandcommissionedtoperformnotarialacts
isguiltyofamisdemeanoroftheseconddegree,
punishableasprovidedins.775.082ors.775.083.
117.05(7).
Anypersonwhounlawfullypossessesanotarypublic
officialsealoranypapersorcopiesrelatingtonotarial
actsisguiltyofamisdemeanoroftheseconddegree,

punishableasprovidedins.775.082ors.775.083.
117.05(3)(e).
Anynotarypublicwhoknowinglyactsasanotary
publicafterhiscommissionhasexpiredisguiltyofa
misdemeanoroftheseconddegree,punishableins.
775.082,s.775.083,or117.05(8).
Anotarypublicwhofalselyorfraudulentlytakesan
acknowledgmentofaninstrumentasanotarypublicor
whofalselyorfraudulentlymakesacertificateasa
notarypublicorwhofalselytakesorreceivesan
acknowledgmentofthesignatureonawritten
instrumentisguiltyofafelonyofthethirddegree,
punishableasprovidedins.775.082,s.775.083,
s.775.084,or117.105.
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OtherProhibitedActs
Donotnotarizeaphotograph.
Donotnotarizeacopyofabirthcertificate,orany
othervitalrecordorpublicrecord.
Donotcertifyatranslationofadocumentfromone
languageintoanother.
Donotprovidesignatureguarantees.Thisdutyis
usuallyperformedbyofficialsinthebankingand
securitiesindustry.
Donotcertifytheauthenticityofobjects,suchasart
orsportsmemorabilia.
Donotjudgecontestsorcertifycontestresults.
Donotcertifyaperson'sresidencyorcitizenship
status.
Donotpreparelegaldocuments,orimmigration
papers,unlessyouareanattorneylicensedtopractice
inFlorida.
Backtotop

Don'tNotarizePhotographs
Occasionally,youmaybeaskedto"notarize"aphotograph.
Pleasebeawarethatcertifyingornotarizingphotographsis
notanauthorizednotarialactunderFloridalaw.
Youmay,however,notarizeaperson'ssignatureonawritten
statementconcerningthephotograph.Forexample,ifJohn
Doewantstocertifythatthepersoninaparticular
photographisJohnDoe,hecouldsignaswornwritten
statementstatingthatthephotographisofJohnDoe.You
couldthennotarizehissignatureonthatstatementinthe
samewaythatyounotarizeanyswornwrittenstatement.
Hisstatementcouldbemadeonthebackofthephotograph

oronaseparatepapertobeattachedtothephotograph.
Keepinmindthatyoushouldnotcertifyorattestthatthe
personinthephotographisJohnDoe.Rather,youshould
certifythatthestatementconcerningthephotographwas
signedandsworntoinyourpresencebyJohnDoe.Thisis
accomplishedbyusingthestandardnotarialcertificate
(jurat)providedintheFloridaStatutesforoaths.Remember,
youshouldneverapplyyournotarysealtoandsignany
documentwithoutcompletingapropernotarialcertificate.
Backtotop

Don'tProvideCertifiedCopiesof
BirthCertificates
TheNotarySectioncontinuestoreceivenumerousinquiries
aboutcertifyingcopiesofbirthcertificates.Anotarypublic
mayNOTmakeacertifiedphotocopyofabirthcertificate,
whetheritwasissuedinFlorida,anotherstate,oraforeign
country.Birthcertificatesareofficialrecordsandcertified
copiesmaybeobtainedfromthepublicofficialwhoisthe
custodianoftherecords.
Thetypicalproblemariseswhenapersonisleavingthe
countrywithinafewdaysandisrequiredbyhisorher
travelagencytohavea"notarized"birthcertificate.The
word"notarized"immediatelysendsthepersontoanotary
public.Actually,apersonshouldobtaina"certified"copyof
hisorherbirthcertificate,ratherthana"notarized"copy.
Notariesshoulddeclinetocertifyornotarizethese
documentsfortworeasons.
First,anotarypublicmaynotattesttothetruenessofa
photocopyofapublicrecordifacopycanbemadeby
anotherpublicofficial.TheFloridaDepartmentofHealth
retainsvitalrecordssuchasbirthcertificates,death
certificates,marriagelicenses,andcertaindivorcerecords.
TheDepartmentproducescertifiedcopiesofthese
documentswhenrequestedbyanauthorizedperson.
Second,anotarypublicmayonlyattesttothetruenessofa
photocopyofanoriginaldocument.Mostpeopledonot
possesstheiroriginalbirthcertificatetheyonlyhavea
certifiedcopy.
Additionally,Floridalawprohibitseventhephotocopyingof
birthcertificates.Thiswouldeliminatethealternative
procedureofattachinganaffidavittoaphotocopyofabirth
certificateinwhichapartyswearsthatthephotocopyisa
truecopyofthebirthcertificate.
OfficialsattheBureauofVitalStatisticsinJacksonville,
whereFloridavitalrecordsarehoused,reportthatbirth
certificatesandothervitalrecordsareavailablefromtheir
officeandmaybeavailableforthelast30yearsfromthe

countyhealthdepartmentinmostcountiesinFlorida.The
Jacksonvilleofficetakesordersbytelephoneusingamajor
creditcardforpaymentandevenoffersexpressorovernight
deliveryforanadditionalfee.Itisbest,ofcourse,to
requestsuchrecordsinwritingallowing23weeksfor
delivery.

Ifyouarerequestedtomakeacertifiedcopyofabirth
certificate,orothervitalrecord,pleasedeclineandreferthe
partytothepublicofficeholdingthatrecord.Ifthedocument
isaFloridavitalrecord,thepartymaygotothecounty
healthdepartmentorwriteto:
DepartmentofHealth
BureauofVitalStatistics
VitalRecordsSection
1217PearlStreet
Jacksonville,Florida32202
Fortelephoneordersoradditionalinformation,theparty
maycalltheJacksonvilleofficeat(904)3596931or(904)
3596912.
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Don'tNotarizeBlankDocuments
Apparently,itisacommonpracticeforpeopletosigna
blankpowerofattorneyformtofacilitatethesaleofamotor
vehicle.Notariesshouldbecarefulnottonotarize
incompletedocuments.
Manynotarizedblankformshavebeenfoundatcar
dealershipsbyDMVinvestigatorsandareoftenpresentedto
officialsatU.S.CustomsinMiami.Accordingtoofficialsat
theseagencies,incompleteformswillnotbeaccepted,andif
notarized,theywillbepresentedtotheStateAttorney's
OfficeandtotheGovernor'sOfficeforinvestigationand
appropriateaction.

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Correct
1.ANotaryPublicmaynotnotarizeasignatureona
documentifthepersonwhosesignatureisbeingnotarized
isnotinthepresenceofthenotaryatthetimethe
signatureisnotarized.

A.True
B.False

Correct
2.ANotaryPublicmaynotarizethesignatureoftheir
spouse.

A.True
B.False

Correct
3.ANotaryPublicmaynotarizeadocumentthatis
incomplete.

A.True
B.False

Correct
4.ANotaryPublicmaynotgivelegaladviceunlessthe
notarypublicisalicensedattorney.

A.True
B.False

Correct
5.ANotaryPublicmayuseanameorinitialinsigning
certificatesotherthanthatbywhichthenotarypublicis
commissioned.

A.True
B.False

Correct
6.ANotaryPublicmaynotchangeanythinginawritten
statementafterithasbeensignedbyanyone.

A.True

B.False

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