What is a Venue in a Notary Certificate?
Venue is a word more commonly used in England or India. The only situation I hear it used commonly in an American context is in the Notary world. The venue is a section of any type of notary certificate. Notary certificates might include Notary Acknowledgment Certificates, Notary Jurat Certificates, and there are a few other less common or antiquated types of certificates as well.
Here is a sample Venue:
State of California
County of _____________
The name of the county is typically left blank, and up to the notary to fill in. Some lenders pre-fill the name of the county. That can sometimes be a problem if the notary is not going to sign in that particular county. Sometimes signings are moved to alternate locations in other counties.
One bizarre and interesting case happened to me many years ago, where the notary certificate represented a husband and wife signing the same document, on the same day (you can’t use the same certificate if they signed on different days), a few hours apart, but in neighboring counties. I got the husband’s signature, drove an hour, got the wife’s signature, and then made my way to Fedex-Kinkos to drop off the package.
A venue simply means a place, or more specifically, a place where an event is to take place, such as a party, a meeting, or a notary act! To my knowledge, a venue be printed on all notary certificates in all states. The only types of notary acts that don’t use a venue would include Oaths and Affirmations (if done as separate notary acts) since they don’t have any paperwork (unless they are part of a Jurat, or swearing in witnesses, etc.)
You might also like:
One signing; Two venues?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=17047
Venues explained in the 30 point course
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14514
Index of posts about certificates
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20268
Are you practicing law by drawing a signature line?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21033
What is a Jurat?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=6937
Note that the Venue is REQUIRED on written notary instruments. If there is no preprinted Venue (quite common) just write it in at the top of the notary section. If it’s there and, for example, the State is wrong – draw a thin line thru it and initial the end of the line. If your official notary name includes a middle name or initial – then initial the end of the line with your 3 letter initials. Initialing is only required if you are CHANGING something that is already there.
Comment by Kenneth A Edelstein — November 6, 2013 @ 4:18 pm
It is appalling that we have to discuss what venue is here when this is something fundamental that they should know before passing their exam to be commissioned.
Comment by Dan Serbin — November 15, 2013 @ 6:23 am
So if you have two borrowers in two different counties do you use an extra loose attachment? Oh! in Washington, a Notary can notarize in all counties!
Comment by Sally Mulder — November 17, 2013 @ 2:50 pm