Notaries play a vital role in most legal systems around the world. Abroad, legal documents often require a notary to watch and certify signatures and in some places to prepare the documents and administer the transaction (copy documents can only be certified as accurate by notaries) to be accepted in proceedings.
What Are A Notary And Notarization?
A notary is a qualified solicitor authorized to authenticate and certify contracts, agreements, facts, or documents used in other countries.
Notarization is a vital part of many legal processes, from closing on a home loan to vehicle title transfers, and it's essential for preventing fraud and exploitation. Every day, thousands of
Americans rely on a notary public to ensure that their most important legal documents are legitimate and valid, making the notary public a quietly vital position.
How to become a notary public is usually relatively simple, and most people have the qualifications to do it. However, it’s still an important position of responsibility that requires the proper preparation and knowledge.
What Does A Notary Public Do?
To understand what is a notary one must look at the tA notary public is an individual who is authorized by the state to notarize a document. Notarization is the practice of witnessing, verifying, and keeping records of parties signing a legal document. Usually, the notary charges a small fee for their services. Notaries public are responsible for ensuring that each party signing a document is:
Able to provide valid documentation of their identity.
Of sound mind and not being forced or coerced into signing the document against their will.
It's a simple task but a significant one.
Notaries are a front-line of defense against many kinds of fraud, so they must execute their duties faithfully.
Why Become A Notary?
Becoming a notary can be a good source of extra income. The process of notarizing a document is relatively quick, allowing notaries public to notarize many papers per day if they have a vast social network and employ good marketing techniques.
Becoming a notary can also be a great way to provide valuable services to your community. A notary public helps make their community less vulnerable to fraudulent activity, making it an excellent option for those who want to earn some extra income and help keep their communities safe.
Finally, some employers also encourage or require employees in specific roles to become notaries. Becoming a notary is also an excellent resume skill that can help a job candidate stand out from the pack.
Notary Public Qualifications
Required qualifications to become a notary public vary by state. In most states, the capabilities are:
● Must be 18 years of age or older
● Must be a legal resident of the state in which they apply
● Must not have been convicted of a felony
Some states have additional requirements, such as being able to read and write in English. Many states, such as California, also require notary applicants to take notary training classes that show applicants how to check for a valid ID, spot a person being coerced to sign, and other critical skills.
Your Notary Business
Notaries need to acquire a handful of critical tools for executing their duties. These include:
● A notary seal or notary stamp
● A notary journal where you record your notarizations to protect yourself and your customers
● A notary certificate
● Business cards
Is An Oral 1-Year Employment Contract Permissible?
An employment contract doesn’t always have to be in writing to be enforceable. While that may be the case, written agreements are certainly easier to enforce and not subject to certain limitations that oral contracts are.
Oral agreements are still subject to the requirements of what it takes to form a primary contract.
The oral statement of the offer must be clear and definite. It must be sufficiently clear that the parties meant to change the relationship to something other than employment-at-will. Thus, the oral promise must expressly limit the employer’s right to terminate the employee at will.
Oral employment contracts usually fall into four categories:
(1) promises of employment until retirement age
(2) promises of lifetime employment
(3) promises of employment as long as the work is satisfactory
(4) promises only to fire an employee for a good cause.
Conclusion
The office of a notary public is a growing profession. There is a need for notaries in a wide variety of occupations, such as law, insurance, finance, and real estate – to name a few.
A notary can work from home, rent office space, or work for an employer once he or she understands what is a notary and how it can be beneficial for them. He or she can work part or full time and can even combine notary services as a side job with another.
