A notary public cannot take an acknowledgment on a document that is incomplete. When presented with a document containing a signature to be notarized, the notary public should visually scan the document to determine if the document is complete. Blank spaces and blank lines should be examined to ensure information is not missing. Also, if a notary public has experience with a particular type of document, and knows what information should be stated in the document, and that information is missing or incomplete, the notary public must refuse to notarize the signature.
February 3, 2020
Notary Journal 101. How to secure your Notary public journal. No person except the notary public can have access to the notary public’s journal outside of the notary public’s presence including an employer who paid for the notary public’s journal. The journal must be stored in a locked and secured area that is under the direct and exclusive control of the notary public, for example a locking file cabinet, a safe or locked office.
