Many people want copies of school transcripts notarized. Especially students from overseas. The notary can not notarize a document that is not signed by the signer. Additionally, the signer must be named in the body of the document to get an Acknowledged signature.
So, how do you get something notarized that doesn’t have a signature?
Simple… The notary can draft up a statement stating that you swear that the contents of the copy of the document are a complete, true, and correct copy of the original. It is even better if the notary can inspect the original and testify in writing to the fact that he/she has verified that it is a true copy.
What about notarizing a copy of a birth certificate or vital record?
Talk to your local county clerk and ask them how to get a copy of your birth certificate. Notaries are NOT allowed to notarize copies of vital records.
How do you get a photograph notarized?
You can’t.
Some agencies are happy if the notary affixed the corner of their seal to the back of the photo, or embossed the photograph. But, you can get a signed statement about the photo notarized, and then staple the corresponding photo to the Jurat certificate — be prepared to swear under oath that that is a true photo of you.
So, now you know how to get something notarized that doesn’t have a signature. You don’t. You simply get a sworn statement and a Jurat that DOES have a statement that you can swear to and sign. Easy! But, if you get an inexperienced notary who doesn’t know what they are doing, then the procedure might not be so easy. Shop around and get a notary who knows what they are doing.
You might also like
What if the signature is in the middle of the document?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20525
Identification requirements for being notarized
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=4299
Can you send a loose acknowledgment?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16168
Notarizing John W. Smith
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16048
” The notary can not notarize a document that is not signed by the signer.” Absolutely not true. Since the blog entry does not say which state this applies to, the blogger is claiming it applies to many states. But many states allow notaries to make certified copies, and the document being copied might not have any signature on it. Even if there is a signature on the original, that person might not be present when the copy is made by the notary.
The part about not certifying vital records seems to be true for the states I’m aware of. And the person receiving a school transcript or diploma would be better off getting it directly from the school rather than relying on a copy certified by a notary.
Comment by Dennis — April 4, 2013 @ 1:42 pm
The blogger states a notary can ” draft up a statement” to get something notarized without a signature. Better not do that in NC as that is practicing law without a license. I don’t know about other states but NC is strict on this issue. Please be careful when reading alot of these blogs as thay are not always correct from state to state. What they can do in California may not be acceptable in NC. If you do happen to get caught in NC practicing law without a license, I can assure you that a defense of “I read it on a Notary Site” will not help your lawsuit.
Comment by Craig — April 6, 2013 @ 1:16 pm