Notary Public
Notary Public FAQs
Who is a notary public? In Maryland, a notary public is appointed by the Secretary of State to be an impartial witness to the signing of important documents. In Maryland a notary public can administer several official acts including affirmation, depositions, witness signing, and other acknowledgement.
Is there a difference between a notary and a notary public? There is no difference between a notary and a notary public. The proper title for a notary is a notary public, when people say notary they are usually referring to the abbreviated form of notary public.
Where can I get notarized for free? One good source of free notarization is a bank, most banks offer free notarization to clients of the bank. Should you require private notarization you will probably have to pay a fee.
How much does it cost to get something notarized? In Maryland most notaries charge between $2 and $20 per signature however mortgage closing are typically more expensive and mobile notaries are allowed to charge additional fees. Mortgage closing notaries are typically more expensive because they require specialized training and mobile notaries are usually allowed to charge an additional fees because they do have to travel.
We charge $4.00 per signature.
What do I bring to a notary? Because public notaries are required by law to keep a record of each of the notary entries, you must bring a form of identification when you visit a notary public, this usually means a driver's license or passport. This also means that you cannot get something notarized online.
Do all legal documents need to be notarized? No. While there are some requirements that some documents have been notarized such as property deeds, wills, trusts, and power attorney, unless specifically required by law most contracts do not need to acknowledge before public notary.
Is a seal required in Maryland? Maryland does not require the use of an embossed seal it will accept either an embossed seal or a rubber stamp. The seal/stamp must contain the name of the notary public, as it appears on the notary commission, the words “Notary Public,” the county or (City of Baltimore), for which the notary was appointed, and the seal may also contain a symbol chosen by the notary public, so long as it is not the Great Seal.
We offer both a seal and a stamp.