Massachusetts notary odd rules and conditions.

A Massachusetts notary has restrictions about signing loans since Massachusetts is an attorney state. But, many Massachusetts notaries still sign loans. In Georgia, notaries never sign in-state loans in my experience because the rule about non-attorney notaries not being allowed to sign loans is more strictly enforced.

Massachusetts is the only territory in the United States that is a commonwealth, not a state, but we call it a state in any case.

The secretary of the commonwealth does not regulate the activities of Massachusetts notaries. A Massachusetts notary public is regulated by the governor.

Massachusetts notary fees are pitifully low.
A protest for over $500 – the notary can charge a fee off $1.00, or 50 cents for a protest for a lower value. These fees are suitable for the 1800’s, but a modern day notary can not make a living making pennies for their work.

A 50 cent fee for recording a protest is allowed. A fee of 75 cents is allowed for noting the non-acceptance of a non-payment for a bill of exchange. For each notice of non-acceptance or non-payment of a bill of exchange, order, draft, check, or note, given to the party liable for the payment thereof – a fee of 25 cents.

The whole cost of a protest including all notices and record: $2 for amounts $500 or more, or $1.50 for protests under $500. Costs for noting, including recording and notices shall not exceed $1.25.

Interesting witnessing rule
A Massachusetts notary public may ONLY witness documents while physically present in Massachusetts at the time of the notarization.

The Governor recommends:
Common places to look for a Massachusetts notary include city and town halls, courts, banks, law offices, insurance companies, drug stores / pharmacies, and in the phone book. I wish the governmor would also recommend 123notary.com. I think that the Massachetts notary materials on state websites were written more than ten years ago.

What is the purpose of the executive order?
Up until the effective date of the Executive Order, there had been no guidance for Massachusetts notaries public about what to do and how to do it. The Executive Order provides that information. In addition, there have been no safeguards in place to help prevent fraud, forgeries, and other misconduct by a small but significant number of notaries. The Executive Order provides notice to notaries as to what behavior constitutes misconduct, and then allows the Governor to remove or decline to re-appoint notaries who are engaging in misconduct.

Which Massachusetts Notary is required to keep a journal?Non-attorney Massachusetts notaries are required to keep a journal. But, shouldn’t the attorneys keep one too? Paralegals are exempt from keeping a journal too. Records are records, and everyone should keep records in my humble opinion.
A Massachusetts notary public who is employed by a bank can…
“Conducting a real estate closing involves the practice of law in Massachusetts. Thus, non-attorney notaries public may not conduct real estate closings. A notary public who is employed by a bank may notarize a document in conjunction with the closing of his or her employer’s real estate loans. Also, a non-attorney notary public who works for a bank may notarize bank documents relating to an equity line of credit or a refinance mortgage, absent other violation of the Executive Order.”.. from the Governor’s website.

Term of office
A Massachusetts notary holds their office for seven years.