Notaries 

 

   

 


DEFINITIONS OF A NOTARY PUBLIC


A Notary Public is a public officer whose function is: 

1. To administer oaths; and

2. To attest and certify, by his signature and official seal, certain classes of documents, in order to give them credit and authenticity; and

3. To take acknowledgments of deeds and other conveyances and certify the same; and

4. To perform certain official acts, chiefly in commercial matters, such as the protesting of notes and bills, the notice of foreign drafts, and marine protests in cases of damage.


TYPES OF NOTARIES
 

  1. State-at-large; may perform duties of the office State-wide;
  2. County; may perform duties of the office only in the County where applicant is appointed.



NOTARY PUBLIC REQUIREMENTS FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY 

  1. Must be a resident of Montgomery County; and
  2. Must be a registered voter in Montgomery County or provide documentation establishing proof of residency; and
  3. Must be capable of posting bond in the required amount.



STEPS TO BE APPOINTED A NOTARY OR TO RENEW YOUR NOTARY COMMISSION 

  1. Complete notary public application;
  2. Submit notary bond for $25,000 from an insurance company; Please have your notary bond notarized before bringing it to the Probate Office for recording. 
  3. Submit $24.00 filing fee payable to Judge of Probate;
  4. Judge of Probate will mail approved certification to applicant within three weeks;
  5. Notary seal is obtained from office supply company.



STEPS TO BE APPOINTED NOTARY FOR STATE EMPLOYEES

  1. Complete notary public application;
  2. Submit official letter from Department of Finance, confirming your coverage under the State Of Alabama Bond issued by the Risk Management Division.  The bond number must be identified on the request. Faxed documents are not  accepted;
  3. Submit $24.00 filing fee payable to Judge of Probate;
  4. Judge of Probate will mail approved certification to applicant within three weeks;
  5. Notary seal is obtained from office supply company.



ADDITIONAL NOTARY INFORMATION 

The office of a Notary Public is a serious and responsible public office and should not be taken lightly.  Abuse of the office or irresponsibility in the performance of notarial duties can result in grave consequences.  If a Notary Public has doubts about the propriety of any action, he or she should seek competent professional advice before he or she acts. 

For more information about being a Notary Public, you may purchase the handbook, A Manual for Notaries Public, published by the Young Lawyers Section of the Alabama State Bar which is available in a downloadable .pdf format. The cost of the manual is $5.45 and may be obtained by clicking on the link below.

LINK: A Manual for Notaries Public

 You may access Notary information in the Code of Alabama (Section 36-20-1) from the State Legislature's website: 

LINK: Code of Alabama 1975