The state or Alabama requires the signer to personally appear before you during the notarization. That’s crucial because it helps protect your signer, your employer, anyone relying on the notarization and you against potential fraud and liability.  Personal appearance allows you to complete other steps in a proper notarization.

You should always check over the document you are notarizing for a number of important reasons.  To look for certificate wording that will tell you what type of notarization to perform.  To review the certificate wording to make sure it contains all the elements a Notary certificate should have and that it conforms to the requirements of your state.  To check for blank spaces Alabama mandate there are no blanks on a document and other states just strongly recommend it. Blank documents can be altered later in an attempt to commit fraud.  Be sure to enter the date the notarization took place in the certificate wording.  To verify that the name on the ID supports the name in the document.  Scanning the document does not mean reading it for its details. You should just glance over it sufficiently to get the information you need

Properly verifying your signer’s identity is the essential duty of every Notary.  Alabama provides some direction as to how to identify your signer, and there are 3 general methods.  Personal knowledge, which means that you personally know the signer.  Identity documents, such as driver’s licenses, passports and other government-issued IDs.  Credible identifying witnesses who know the signer and can vouch for his or her identity.

The State of Alabama require Notaries to maintain a record of all notarizations. A good Notary journal entry contains details of the notarization that are helpful in case a document or notarization is called into question.  Alabama requires you to complete your journal entry before the notarization so you can make sure to collect all the necessary elements of the record, including your signer’s signature.

If the document does not contain certificate wording, ask your signer what type of notarization is required and then attach a separate, or loose, Notary certificate.  Finally, take care to sign and affix your seal properly. You should always sign exactly as your name appears on your commission. Your seal should be close to your signature but should not overlap any wording. The goal is to make everything legible. If you are in a state that does not require you to use a seal, you may need to add your name and commission information in other spaces below your signature.