According to the National Notary Association:
Most state laws do not expressly prohibit notarizing for a relative. However, Notaries who do so in many instances will violate statutes prohibiting a direct beneficial interest. For instance, if a Notary is asked to witness her husband's signature on a loan document for the purchase of a home they will share, she will directly benefit from the transaction and should disqualify herself.
The likelihood of a direct beneficial interest is usually greater with immediate family members -- spouse, mother, father, son, daughter, sister or brother -- than with non-immediate, such as in-laws, cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles. The matter of interest in an inheritance is more often a consideration with lineal descendants (children, grandchildren, etc.) and ascendants (parents, grandparents, etc.) than with nonlinear relatives.
In many instances, a Notary will have no beneficial interest in notarizing for a relative and will not be prevented by law from doing so. However, to avoid later questioning of the Notary's impartiality, as well as accusations of undue influence, it is always safest for a signer to find a Notary who is not related.
A notary public does not notarize a document. He/she can notarize a signature.
A notary cannot acknowledge any document from which they derive any beneficial interest. Although it is not unlawful to notarize any other document for a family member, the Secretary of State in Connecticut strongly recommends that the parties use extreme caution when performing notarial acts that involve family members.
I am a notary in Iowa and a family member needs a notary.. Can I notarize the document
A notary does not notarize a document. A notary notarizes a signature. The notary is not prohibited from notarizing a family member's signature.
A notary does not notarize a document. A notary notarizes a signature. The notary is not prohibited from notarizing a family member's signature.
It's always a really bad idea to notarize for family members. You can do it, but the document's strength will be weak if challenged.
It is poor practice to notarize the documents of family members. In some States it is expressly forbidden. A notary should never notarize a document under which she/he would benefit. That would make the document vulnerable to challenge. You should check the laws in your state.
Yes
You can notarize for a family member, but it is not a good practice to do so. If the notarized document goes to court, the opposing lawyer will use the notarization to call the document into question and possibly invalidate the document.
Yes, my brother is a notary and he's notarized for me before. You can notarize for a family member, but it is not a good practice to do so. If the notarized document goes to court, the opposing lawyer will use the notarization to call the document into question and possibly invalidate the document. I believe that the rule of thumb is that you should not notarize for a family member in a situation where you might personally benefit. You can notarize for a family member, but it is not a good practice to do so. If the notarized document goes to court, the opposing lawyer will use the notarization to call the document into question and possibly invalidate the document.
no when noterizing a document. both people need to be there to sign in front of the notarizer
No. It is a conflict of interest to notarize for family members or friends.