Notary Services
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Professional
Notarial Services
Onsite & Mobile Notary Service
Daytime: 541.928.7066
(contact page) |
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Notary FAQ's
(Based on Oregon
Laws & Regulations)
What is a Notary
A state licensed public officer who administers oaths, certifies
documents and performs other specified functions. A notary
public’s signature and seal may be required to authenticate
signatures on certain legal documents. Please feel free to
contact us with any needs or requirement to find a notary in
Oregon or to find a Notary in Albany Oregon.
Notary In History:
In the old Roman Republic, notarii were
public secretaries who were shorthand writers. As scribes became
more and more common, they developed a service in the public
marketplace to draw up legal documents
and other written instruments. Wax seals were used as signatures
on documents. Later, ribbons tied together multi-page documents,
and wax seals on the knots showed that no one had tampered with
the knots. Thus, we came to have notary seals.
Eventually, the state came to
regulate and commission these scribes. Witnesses to the drafting
of their documents came to be required. Notaries, still in the
public marketplace, evolved into both drafters and witnesses to
these writings. As notarii
became essential to commerce and law, royalty found the need to
commission and employ them for drawing up and countersigning
documents. By the Middle Ages, notaries had to undergo formal
training and examinations. Gradually, the government took over
sole appointment of notaries, giving them public officer status.
What is a Notarial Act As defined in
the statutes, a notarial act is any act that a notary public of
Oregon is authorized to perform, including
 | Taking An Acknowledgment |
| Administering an oath or affirmation |
| Executing a jurat or taking a
verification upon oath or affirmation |
| Witnessing or attesting a signature |
What is the difference between a Jurat and
an Acknowledgement?
| A jurat is that part of an affidavit or
deposition in which the notary states that the affidavit or
deposition was sworn to before the notary. A jurat can be
expressed
with the phrase "Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed)
before me this the ____
day of __________, 20__.¨ |
| An acknowledgment is a declaration by a
person that he or she executed an
instrument for the purposes stated therein. If the
instrument is executed in a
representative capacity, the acknowledgment is also a
declaration that the
instrument was signed with the proper authority and executed
as the act of the
entity represented and identified therein. |
Can a Notary charge a fee Yes, in
Oregon fees are governed under OAR 160-100-0400, please visit
The Shipping Annex for a full price list.
Does a Notary need to sign and stamp a
document, or is one or the other enough? In the State
of Oregon the document must be signed and stamped and meet the
mandated guidelines. Also note an Embosser cannot be used in
place of a Notary Stamp, only in addition to a properly
notarized document.
Can an Notary offer legal or immigration
advice Yes, only if the Notary is also an attorney.
The Shipping Annex notaries are not attorney's and cannot offer
any legal advice or suggest legal advice.
Do I need to sign the document in front of
the Notary No, it is advised that you do, however the
document can be notarized post signature. The signatory
must appear in person before the Notary.
What do I need to bring as ID when having
an item notarized? Recommended is a current government
or state issued ID, that shows you name, address, physical
description, photograph. A Drivers license or Military ID would
meet these requirements, a Passport would not. There are
other methods of ID that can be used to get a document
notarized, please contact The Shipping Annex for details.
Can a Notary perform Notarial acts in a
different county than the one they reside? Yes, an
Oregon Notary is licensed by the state and can notarize anywhere within
the State of Oregon.
Does the notary need to read the document
they are notarizing? No, they do not need read the
document, however they are required to scan the document for
missing or conflicting information.
Can an Notary certify a true copy of a
document? No a Notary is not authorized to certify any
document, however a notary can certify a document is a true copy
of the original. Exceptions would be transcribed or
translated copies.
Can a Notary act as a witness to the
document? No, unless the document states clearly that
the notary can be the witness, I have so far only seen this
exception one time.
Can a Notary acknowledge two signatures if
only one signatory is present? No the Notary can only
acknowledge the one signature.
What is the difference between a jurat
and an acknowledgment? A "jurat"
is that part of an affidavit in which you, the notary, state
that it was sworn to before you.
"Acknowledgment" means a declaration by a
person that he or she has executed an instrument for the
purposes stated therein and, if the instrument is executed in a
representative capacity, that he or she signed the instrument
with proper authority and executed it as the act of the person
or entity represented and identified therein.
How is a notary’s signature
authenticated on a document for use in this country or overseas?
Authenticating a Notary Public’s signature can
be done only by the Secretary of State’s office. The
document that needs the certification attached must be submitted
to the Secretary of State’s office with the request for either a
"Certification" or an "Apostille".
We notarize the following documents, but
not limited to only these documents: mortgage documents,
purchase documents, mortgage loans, 2nd mortgages, lines of
credit, adoption papers, business documents, certifications of
copies of documents (leases, business documents, etc),
contracts, corporate documents, prison inmate documents,
easements, government forms, i-9 employment forms, immigration
documents, commercial leases, letters of instruction, letters
requesting birth or death certificates, medical documents,
powers of attorney, stock documents, travel affidavits, trusts,
vehicle title transfers, wills and testaments, and more!
What is required in Oregon to become a
Notary: To be a notary public in Oregon, you must meet the
following qualifications, at the time of application: (A
background check is conducted on all applications for a notary
public commission).
| Be 18 years of age or older |
| Be a resident of the State of Oregon (You
may also qualify if you are a resident of California, Idaho,
Nevada, or Washington and carry on a trade or business or
are regularly employed within the State of Oregon) |
| Be able to read and write the English
language |
| Be of good moral character |
| Not have had a notary commission revoked
for official misconduct during the previous 5 years |
| Complete a 3 hour Notary training course
(not required for current Notaries with an active commission
at the time the new application is received by the State of
Oregon.) |
| Not have been convicted of a felony, or
of a lesser offense incompatible with the duties of a notary
public, during the previous 10 years |
| Pass the Secretary of State's Notary
Examination |
What could cause my Notary Commission to be
revoked?: Any of the below items could cause your commission
to be revoked. Once revoked you cannot reapply for a
notary commission for at least five years.
| Any misconduct identified of the notary
offenses listed in ORS 194.990 |
| Compounding a felony (ORS 162.335) |
| Criminal impersonation (ORS 162.365) |
| Criminal possession of a forged
instrument in the 2nd degree (ORS 165.017) |
| Criminal simulation (ORS 165.037) |
| False swearing (ORS 162.075) |
| Falsifying business records (ORS 165.080) |
| Forgery in the 2nd degree (ORS 165.007) |
| Fraudulently obtaining a signature (ORS
165.042) |
| Giving false information to police
officer for a citation (ORS 162.385) |
| Initiating a false report (ORS 162.375) |
| Issuing a false financial statement (ORS
165.100) |
| Misapplication of entrusted property (ORS
165.095) |
| Misuse of confidential information (ORS
162.425) |
| Obstructing governmental or judicial
administration (ORS 162.235) |
| Obtaining execution of documents by
deception (ORS 165.102) |
| Simulating legal process (ORS 162.355) |
| Tampering with physical evidence (ORS
162.295) |
| Tampering with public records (ORS
162.305) |
| Unsworn falsification (ORS 162.085) |
| Any other offense of a similar nature to
the above listed crimes, which is incompatible with the
duties of a notary public |
I wish to become a notary where can I download
the
Application Packet or information packet to Reapply for
Notary in Oregon.
If you wish more information on becoming a
Notary visit the
State of Oregon Notary website.
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