Why do I need a Notary Public? 

Notarization   |    Oct 09, 2024      | By: Harbir Singh

A notary public near you can be used to complete a variety of different tasks. This includes where the authenticity, validity and proper execution of documents needs to be confirmed. The role of a notary public entails ensuring documents and signatures are accurate, genuine and properly witnessed. Below is a list of scenarios where a notary public is often required:

Authenticating Documents: One of the roles of a notary public is to authenticate documents and ensure the documents are legal. When notarizing a document, a notary public certifies that it is an original or true copy of the original document, which can be required and crucial for legal of official reasons.

Witnessing Signatures: Various types of legal documents require a notary public to witness the parties signing the document. Examples of these are contracts, power of attorney agreements, or property deeds. In this scenario, a notary public verifies the identification of the signatories and ensures they are signing the document voluntarily, with the absence of any coercion or duress.

Travel Documents for Minors: If a minor child is traveling without one or both parents, travel consent letters often require notarization to confirm that the absent parent(s) have given permission for the child to travel without them. This assists in preventing child abduction and helps ensure proper consent.  

Real Estate Transactions: A variety of real estate transaction, for example the buying and selling of a home or property requires a notary public to certify documents like mortgage agreements, land titles, and sales contracts.

Certified True Copies: Notaries can create certified true copies of documents like passports, diplomas, birth certificate, and legal agreements. Certified copies are usually needed for official purposes like university admission, financial transactions, or visa applications. Certified true copies are normally used where submitting the original document might not be possible.

International Documents: In the event you need to send documents abroad for business or legal purposes, various foreign countries require these to be notarized or apostilled (a type of international notarization). Notary publics in Ontario play a crucial role in certifying documents for international use.

Sworn Statements for Court: The role of a notary public can include administering oaths and affirmations for sworn statements that are going to be submitted to court. For example, this can be necessary when a written statement (affidavit) needs to be filed as evidence in a legal proceeding.

Fraud Prevention: The notarization process can help safeguard against fraud. The service provided by a notary public including confirming the identity of person(s) signing a document and witnessing the signing of the document helps ensure that the documents are legitimate, and no party is acting under false of fraudulent purposes.

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