A notary public may not back-date or
post-date a document. To do so is unlawful, and you should not ask a notary to commit a crime.
All blanks in documents, especially affidavits, should
be filled in before being notarized. It is impossible to swear to the truth of a fact when you do not know what the fact is.
It is regarded as the unauthorized practice of law for a
notary to advise a person as to the type of notary certificate required for a document. He can explain the difference between
an acknowledgment and a jurat, but he may not select the correct one for the person.
A notary may not charge more for a notarial service than
the fee provided by the state fee schedule. However, a notary public is free to establish his own charges for services outside
of the notarial act itself; this includes travel, and, in the case of loan closings, explanations of the nature of the documents
being executed.
A signer must appear before the notary public in person
for his or her signature to be notarized. The signer must present a current identification document issued by a governmental
agency with a photo and signed by the party.
