What is a Notary?
A notary public is an officer commissioned by the Michigan Secretary of State to serve as an unbiased and impartial witness on business, public and other documents. The most common function of the notary is to prevent fraud by attesting to the identity of a person signing a document. A notarization on a document certifies that the person whose signature is entered on the document personally appeared before the notary, established his or her identity, and personally signed the document in the presence of the notary.
Notary services are offered most days of the week during open hours, free of charge. Although an appointment is not required, it is beneficial to call ahead to make sure the notary is present and available.
Guidelines for Notary Service
- Documents to be notarized must be signed in front of the Notary. Do not sign them beforehand.
- Documents to be signed must be complete. Bring the entire document and not just the page that needs to be signed.
- All people that need to sign the document need to be physically present.
- A valid photo ID is required for each person signing the document, such as a State issued driver’s license or ID card, passport or military ID.
- There are a limited number of witnesses available at the library so it is beneficial for you to bring witnesses with you if more than one is required.
- Notaries reserve the right to decline service if any of the guidelines are not met, if they have any concerns about the documents or if the person does not appear to be fully capable of understanding what they are signing.
To learn more visit Michigan Department of State Notary Services.
