Notary glossary

A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · J · K · L · M · N · O · P · Q · R · S · T · U · V · W

A

• Acknowledgment: A notarial act where the signer tells the notary that they signed the document willingly.
• Affidavit: A written statement of facts that the signer swears or affirms is true, usually notarized with a jurat.
• Apostille: A certificate that authenticates a public document for use in another country that belongs to the Hague Apostille Convention.

B

• Blank spaces in a document: Unfilled lines or fields in a document presented for notarization.

C

• Capacity: A signer's ability to understand what they are signing and its effect.
• Certified copy: A copy that an official custodian certifies as true to the original.
• Certified translation: A translation with a signed statement from the translator that it is complete and accurate.
• Closing Disclosure: A document that lists final loan terms and closing costs for a mortgage.
• Commission: The official authority a state gives a person to act as a notary for a set term.
• Conflict of interest: A situation where the notary benefits from the transaction or is a party to it, making the notarization improper.
• Credential analysis: Technology that checks whether a government ID is genuine, used in remote online notarization.
• Credible witness: A person who knows the signer and vouches for their identity to the notary when the signer lacks acceptable ID, where state law allows it.

D

• Deed: A document that transfers ownership of real property.

E

• Errors and omissions (E&O) insurance: Insurance that may cover a notary's mistakes, separate from a bond.

F

• Form I-9: The federal form used to verify an employee's identity and work authorization.

G

• Guardian or conservator: A person a court appoints to make decisions or manage money for someone who cannot.

H

• Healthcare proxy: A document naming someone to make medical decisions if the signer cannot.

J

• Jurat: A notarial act where the signer swears or affirms that the contents of the document are true and signs in front of the notary.

K

• Knowledge-based authentication (KBA): Identity questions drawn from the signer's records that only the signer should be able to answer.

L

• Legalization: A multi-step process that authenticates a document for use in a country that does not accept an apostille.
• Lien release: A document stating that a debt secured by property has been paid and the lien removed.
• Living will: A document stating a person's wishes about medical treatment if they cannot speak for themselves.
• Loan signing agent: A notary who specializes in guiding borrowers through signing mortgage and loan documents.

M

• Mobile notary: A notary who travels to the signer's location rather than the signer visiting an office.

N

• Notarial certificate: The part of a document where the notary states what act was performed, when, where and for whom.
• Notarial fee: The amount a notary may charge for a notarial act, set by state law.
• Notary bond: A surety bond some states require a notary to hold to protect the public from misconduct.
• Notary journal: A bound or electronic record of each notarial act the notary performs.
• Notary scam: A fake job or check scheme that targets notaries and signing agents.
• Notary seal or stamp: The stamp or embosser a notary places on a certificate that shows their name and commission details.

O

• Oath and affirmation: A spoken promise to tell the truth. An oath calls on a higher power; an affirmation does not.

P

• Power of attorney: A document that lets one person (the agent) act for another (the principal) on stated matters.
• Process server: A person who delivers legal papers to the other party in a case and records how and when.

Q

• Quitclaim deed: A deed that transfers whatever interest the grantor has, without promises about the title.

R

• Recording: Filing a signed document, such as a deed, with the county so it becomes part of the public record.
• Remote online notarization (RON): A notarization done over live audio and video with electronic documents, where state law allows it.
• Right of rescission: A short period after signing certain refinance or home equity loans when the borrower may cancel.

S

• Satisfactory evidence of identity: Proof, usually a government photo ID, that a notary relies on to confirm who the signer is.
• Scanback: The scanned copy of signed loan documents a signing agent sends back, in addition to the physical return.
• Self-proving affidavit: A sworn statement attached to a will that can simplify proving the will later.
• Signer: The person who signs the document and whose signature the notary is notarizing.
• Signing by mark: When a person who cannot sign their name makes a mark, usually with witnesses, and the notary records it.
• Subscribing witness: A person who watches someone else sign a document and then signs it as a witness.

T

• Title company: A company that researches property ownership, issues title insurance and often runs the closing.

U

• Unauthorized practice of law: Giving legal advice or choosing legal documents for someone when you are not a licensed attorney.

V

• Venue: The state and county where a notarization takes place, written on the certificate.

W

• Willingness: A signer's voluntary choice to sign, free of pressure.
• Wire fraud (closing): A scam where criminals impersonate a title company and trick a buyer into wiring closing funds to the wrong account.

General information, not legal advice. Rules vary by state and change; check with your state's commissioning office.

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