If you have an agreement to make, you may need to find a public servant who can notarize the document for you to verify identities and witness the signatures. If you need a legal witness to one of the forms below, find a notary directory and make an appointment as soon as you can.
- Vehicle Ownership Papers
When you buy or sell a car, you have a lot of paperwork to go through, possibly including a bill of sale, certificate of ownership, or title application. If you work through a dealership, they should be able to help you get notarizations during the selling process; if it’s a sale by the owner, you’ll have to take the paperwork to a notary.
- Legal Designations
Any documents that give someone legal power over another’s assets, accounts, healthcare, or any other aspect of life will need a notary to ensure that the process stays above board. These can include:
- Advanced health directives
- Power of attorneys
- Temporary guardianship agreements
- Medical authorizations for minors
- Authorizations to add or remove a name from a title
- Beneficiary designations for retirement accounts or death benefits
- Applications for delivery of mail through an agent
This list is not exhaustive; you might need authorization for any number of legal reasons, and most of them will require notarization to protect the interests of the people involved.
- Permits
Some equipment or paperwork requires authorization to carry or operate, which means you’ll need paperwork proving your legal use of that equipment. These can include anything from a handgun to a passport if you’re under the age of 16.
- Affidavits
Affidavits are the written version of a statement made under oath. Whatever you write in an affidavit holds to the same standard as a testimony from the witness stand. When you have the document notarized, it adds a layer of accountability.
