Instructions for Florida New Notary Applicants
STEP 1: Complete Your Training
q Access the NNA
®
’s Florida State-Required Training online course:
• Retrieve your login NNA ID# and password from the training conrmation email sent separately.
• Go to http://www.NationalNotaryAssociation.edu and enter your login information.
q Complete the course.
q Print two copies of your certicate of completion.
• One will be sent with your application.
• One to keep for your records.
STEP 2: Complete and Return Your Application
q Complete the accompanying Notary Public commission application and State of Florida bond of
Notary Public. Review the included instructions for help.
q Mail all items below in one envelope:
1. Completed application
2. Certicate of completion
to:
Trusted Notary Support
9350 De Soto Ave.
Chatsworth, CA 91311
q The NNA will submit your application to the state and pay your application fee.
q Within three weeks, the state will issue your Notary commission and mail you your commission certicate.
Retain this certicate for the duration of your four-year Notary term.
STEP 3: Receive Your Notary Seal
q The state will notify the NNA your commission has been issued. The NNA will manufacture and ship
your ofcial Notary seal. Your seal will arrive in 15–20 business days from the date the NNA received
your application.
q When you receive your seal, you may begin performing the duties of a Notary Public for the State
of Florida.
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Need Help? Call Trusted Notary Support: 1-877-876-0827
or Email: TrustedNotary@nationalnotary.org
M56447
© 2015 National Notary Association
Important: Please Complete Page 2
BOTH SIDES AND ALL FIELDS ARE REQUIRED.
(PLEASE COMPLETE EACH FIELD BEFORE MAILING APPLICATION.)
(Print or Type Name - Must EXACTLY match signature)
M56211
Complete and Return Originals to:
National Notary Association
9350 De Soto Avenue, P.O. Box 2402
Chatsworth, CA 91313-2402
Important: Please See Other Side
STATE OF FLORIDA
BOND OF NOTARY PUBLIC
FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
Approved by Department of State:
Secretary of State
Notary Commissions
STATE OF FLORIDA
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That we,
as Principal, and
(Name of Applicant)
( )
(Imprint Name of Surety Company) (Telephone Number)
as Surety Company, give bond payable to any individual who may be harmed as a result of a breach of duty by said
applicant acting in his/her official capacity as Notary Public, in the amount of Seven Thousand, Five Hundred
Dollars ($7,500) as assurance for the due discharge of the duties of his/her office of Notary Public and we
do bind
ourselves, and each of our heirs, executors and administrators, jointly and severally.
Applicant was, on the date of issuance of commission, bonded as a Notary Public in and for the State of Florida, to
hold office for the term of four years in accordance with the Constitution and Laws of this State.
Now, therefore, if said applicant shall faithfully discharge the duties of the office of Notary Public, as prescribed by
law, then this obligation shall be void.
X
(Signature of Applicant)
Signed and sealed this day of 20
(Name of Surety Company)
(Address of Surety Company)
(Name of Bonding Agency or Company)
(Affix Surety Seal)
(Address of Bonding Agency or Company)
By X
(Signature of Florida Licensed Agent)
(Florida Licensed Agent Number)
(Printed name of Florida Licensed Agent)
Section 817.234(1)(b), F.S. “Any person who knowingly and with intent to injure, defraud, or deceive any insurer files
a statement of claim or an application containing any false, incomplete, or misleading information is guilty of a felony
in the third degree.”
This bond shall be for Seven Thousand, Five Hundred Dollars ($7,500).
After execution by surety company, the bond must be submi
tted to the Department of State for approval and filing
before issuance of the notary public commission.
DS/DE 76 (3/04)
X
X
Merchants Bonding Company (Mutual) 515 243-8171
Merchants Bonding Company (Mutual)
2100 Fleur Drive, Des Moines, Iowa 50321-1158
National Notary Association
9350 De Soto Avenue, P.O Box 2402, Chatsworth, CA 91313-2402
By
M56211
Please
Sign
Here
License # P155576
Mary Elizabeth Erba
1. Complete Your Notary Public Commission
Application and Bond Forms
Notary Public Commission Application
Application
Fill out this section completely. Do not leave any blank
spaces. Write “None” (not “N/A”) for questions that do not
apply to you. Make any corrections to the pre-filled
data directly on the form or print a blank form at
www.NationalNotary.org/FL/Renew.
Provide a physical Florida residential address and county.
Provide at least one telephone number.
IMPORTANT: Include your Florida Driver’s License number
or number from another Florida state-issued ID.
Affidavit of Character
This section must be completed and signed by a person who has
known you for at least one year and is not related to you. He or she
must sign their name where indicated by an “X.”
Oath of Office
Sign the oath of office and print your name exactly as you want it
to appear on your commission certificate. Signature must match
printed name. To read Chapter 117, Florida statutes, go to
www.NationalNotary.org/FL/Renew.
IMPORTANT: Include your Social Security number. Your Social
Security number is required by Subsection 117.01(2), Florida
Statues. It may be used to facilitate a criminal background check.
Complete and Sign Your State of Florida
Bond of Notary Public
Print your name.
Leave date line blank. This will be completed in our office.
Sign your name.
Leave this signature line blank.
3
2.
. Select Your Notary Package
If ordering by mail, Web, phone or fax, be sure to select an NNA
®
Notary
package that includes your state application fee, state-required Notary bond,
official Notary seal stamp and other supplies that meet your needs.
4. Payment and Application Submittal
Forward an original Application/Bond form(s), not copies, with your
payment to:
National Notary Association
9350 De Soto Avenue, P.O. Box 2402
Chatsworth, CA 91313-2402
If ordering by mail or fax, include your order form, noting your choice
of package. All packages include the $39 State Application Fee —
a separate check is not required.
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SSOCIATION
1-800-US NOTARY (1-800-876-6827) • www.NationalNotary.org
Instructions for
Notary Commissioning Process
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M56212
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NOTE: New Notaries must complete a state-required Notary
training course. A copy of the Training Certificate of Completion must
accompany your Application/Bond Form when mailed to the NNA.
K
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Pat R. Jones
Jones
Pat
R.
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234 West Main Street Miami FL Dade 33130
8254 Mason Rd.
Miami
FL
33104
Miami-Dade
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305 555-8465
305 555-3962
L252-067-86-945-3 67
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Pat R. Jones
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James K. Hawkins
Miami
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Pat R. Jones
Miami-Dade
14 Oak St.
33104
305 555-8264
305 555-1942
Miami-Dade
x
x
x
x
x
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1-800-US NOTARY
1-800-876-6827
NationalNotary.org
117.10 Law enforcement and correctional officers.
Law enforcement officers, correctional officers, and correctional probation officers, as defined in s.
943.10, and traffic accident investigation officers and traffic infraction enforcement officers, as described in
s. 316.640, are authorized to administer oaths when engaged in the performance of official duties. Sections
117.01, 117.04, 117.045, 117.05, and 117.103 do not apply to the provisions of this section. An officer may
not notarize his or her own signature.
117.103 Certification of notary’s authority by Secretary of State.
A notary public is not required to record his or her notary public commission in an office of a clerk of
the circuit court. If certification of the notary public’s commission is required, it must be obtained from
the Secretary of State. Upon the receipt of a written request and a fee of $10 payable to the Secretary
of State, the Secretary of State shall issue a certificate of notarial authority, in a form prescribed by the
Secretary of State, which shall include a statement explaining the legal qualifications and authority of a
notary public in this state.
117.105 False or fraudulent acknowledgments; penalty.
A notary public who falsely or fraudulently takes an acknowledgment of an instrument as a notary public
or who falsely or fraudulently makes a certificate as a notary public or who falsely takes or receives an
acknowledgment of the signature on a written instrument is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable
as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
117.107 Prohibited acts.
(1) A notary public may not use a name or initial in signing certificates other than that by which the notary
public is commissioned.
(2) A notary public may not sign notarial certificates using a facsimile signature stamp unless the notary
public has a physical disability that limits or prohibits his or her ability to make a written signature and unless
the notary public has first submitted written notice to the Department of State with an exemplar of the
facsimile signature stamp.
(3) A notary public may not affix his or her signature to a blank form of affidavit or certificate of
acknowledgment and deliver that form to another person with the intent that it be used as an affidavit
or acknowledgment.
(4) A notary public may not take the acknowledgment of or administer an oath to a person whom the notary
public actually knows to have been adjudicated mentally incapacitated by a court of competent jurisdiction,
where the acknowledgment or oath necessitates the exercise of a right that has been removed pursuant to s.
744.3215(2) or (3), and where the person has not been restored to capacity as a matter of record.
(5) A notary public may not notarize a signature on a document if it appears that the person is mentally
incapable of understanding the nature and effect of the document at the time of notarization.
(6) A notary public may not take the acknowledgment of a person who does not speak or understand the
English language, unless the nature and effect of the instrument to be notarized is translated into a language
which the person does understand.
(7) A notary public may not change anything in a written instrument after it has been signed by anyone.
(8) A notary public may not amend a notarial certificate after the notarization is complete.
(9) A notary public may not notarize a signature on a document if the person whose signature is being
notarized is not in the presence of the notary public at the time the signature is notarized. Any notary
public who violates this subsection is guilty of a civil infraction, punishable by penalty not exceeding
$5,000, and such violation constitutes malfeasance and misfeasance in the conduct of official duties. It
is no defense to the civil infraction specified in this subsection that the notary public acted without intent
to defraud. A notary public who violates this subsection with the intent to defraud is guilty of violating
s. 117.105.
(10) A notary public may not notarize a signature on a document if the document is incomplete or blank.
However, an endorsement or assignment in blank of a negotiable or nonnegotiable note and the assignment
in blank of any instrument given as security for such note is not deemed incomplete.
(11) A notary public may not notarize a signature on a document if the person whose signature is to be
notarized is the spouse, son, daughter, mother, or father of the notary public.
(12) A notary public may not notarize a signature on a document if the notary public has a financial inter-
est in or is a party to the underlying transaction; however, a notary public who is an employee may notarize
a signature for his or her employer, and this employment does not constitute a financial interest in the
transaction nor make the notary a party to the transaction under this subsection as long as he or she does
not receive a benefit other than his or her salary and the fee for services as a notary public authorized by
law. For purposes of this subsection, a notary public who is an attorney does not have a financial interest in
and is not a party to the underlying transaction evidenced by a notarized document if he or she notarizes a
signature on that document for a client for whom he or she serves as an attorney of record and he or she
has no interest in the document other than the fee paid to him or her for legal services and the fee authorized
by law for services as a notary public.
117.108 Validity of acts, seals, and certificates prior to January 1, 1995.
A notarial act performed, a notarial certificate signed, or a notarial seal used by any notary public before January
1, 1995, which would have been valid under the laws in effect in this state on January 1, 1991, is valid.
668.50 (11) Notarization And Acknowledgment.
(b) A first-time applicant for a notary commission must submit proof that the applicant has, within 1 year
prior to the application, completed at least 3 hours of interactive or classroom instruction, including electronic
notarization, and covering the duties of the notary public. Courses satisfying this section may be offered by
any public or private sector person or entity registered with the Executive Office of the Governor and must
include a core curriculum approved by that office.
STATE OFFICES GOVERNING FLORIDA NOTARIES
Office of the Governor Department of State
Notary Section Division of Corporations, Notary Commissions
Room 209, The Capitol P.O. Box 6327
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001 Tallahassee, FL 32314
1-850-922-6400 1-850-245-6975
FLORIDA NOTARY PUBLIC LAW SECTION 117
Effective January 1, 2008
117.01 Appointment, application, suspension, revocation, application fee, bond, and oath.
(1) The Governor may appoint as many notaries public as he or she deems necessary, each of whom
shall be at least 18 years of age and a legal resident of the state. A permanent resident alien may apply
and be appointed and shall file with his or her application a recorded Declaration of Domicile. The resi-
dence required for appointment must be maintained throughout the term of appointment. Notaries public
shall be appointed for 4 years and shall use and exercise the office of notary public within the boundaries
of this state. An applicant must be able to read, write, and understand the English language.
(2) The application for appointment shall be signed and sworn to by the applicant and shall be
accompanied by a fee of $25, together with the $10 commission fee required by s. 113.01, and a sur-
charge of $4, which $4 is appropriated to the Executive Office of the Governor to be used to educate
and assist notaries public. The Executive Office of the Governor may contract with private vendors
to provide the services set forth in this section. However, no commission fee shall be required for
the issuance of a commission as a notary public to a veteran who served during a period of wartime
service, as defined in s. 1.01(14), and who has been rated by the United States Government or
the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or its predecessor to have a disability rating of
50 percent or more; such a disability is subject to verification by the Secretary of State, who has
authority to adopt reasonable procedures to implement this act. The oath of office and notary bond
required by this section shall also accompany the application and shall be in a form prescribed by the
Department of State which shall require, but not be limited to, the following information: full name,
residence address and telephone number, business address and telephone number, date of birth,
race, sex, social security number, citizenship status, driver’s license number or the number of other
official state-issued identification, affidavit of good character from someone unrelated to the applicant
who has known the applicant for 1 year or more, a list of all professional licenses and commissions
issued by the state during the previous 10 years and a statement as to whether or not the applicant
has had such license or commission revoked or suspended, and a statement as to whether or not
the applicant has been convicted of a felony, and, if there has been a conviction, a statement of the
nature of the felony and restoration of civil rights. The applicant may not use a fictitious or assumed
name other than a nickname on an application for commission. The application shall be maintained by
the Department of State for the full term of a notary commission. A notary public shall notify, in writ-
ing, the Department of State of any change in his or her business address, home telephone number,
business telephone number, home address, or criminal record within 60 days after such change. The
Governor may require any other information he or she deems necessary for determining whether
an applicant is eligible for a notary public commission. Each applicant must swear or affirm on the
application that the information on the application is true and correct.
(3) As part of the oath, the applicant must swear that he or she has read this chapter and knows
the duties, responsibilities, limitations, and powers of a notary public.
(4) The Governor may suspend a notary public for any of the grounds provided in s. 7, Art. IV of
the State Constitution. Grounds constituting malfeasance, misfeasance, or neglect of duty include,
but are not limited to, the following:
(a) A material false statement on the application.
(b) A complaint found to have merit by the Governor.
(c) Failure to cooperate or respond to an investigation by the Governor’s office or the Department
of State regarding a complaint.
(d) Official misconduct as defined in s. 838.022.
(e) False or misleading advertising relating to notary public services.
(f) Unauthorized practice of law.
(g) Failure to report a change in business or home address or telephone number, or failure to
submit documentation to request an amended commission after a lawful name change, within the
specified period of time.
(h) Commission of fraud, misrepresentation, or any intentional violation of this chapter.
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on behalf of whom instrument was executed) .
…(Signature of Notary Public - State of Florida)
…(Print, Type, or Stamp Commissioned Name of Notary Public)
Personally Known…OR Produced Identification…
Type of Identification Produced…
(14) A notary public must make reasonable accommodations to provide notarial services to
persons with disabilities.
(a) A notary public may notarize the signature of a person who is blind after the notary public has
read the entire instrument to that person.
(b) A notary public may notarize the signature of a person who signs with a mark if:
1. The document signing is witnessed by two disinterested persons;
2. The notary prints the person’s first name at the beginning of the designated signature line and
the person’s last name at the end of the designated signature line; and
3. The notary prints the words “his (or her) mark” below the person’s signature mark.
(c) The following notarial certificates are sufficient for the purpose of notarizing for a person who
signs with a mark:
1. For an oath or affirmation:
…(First Name)…(Last Name)
…His (or Her) Mark
STATE OF FLORIDA
COUNTY OF…
Sworn to and subscribed before me this…day of…, (year) , by (name of person making
statement) , who signed with a mark in the presence of these witnesses:
…(Signature of Notary Public - State of Florida)
…(Print, Type, or Stamp Commissioned Name of Notary Public)
Personally Known…OR Produced Identification…
Type of Identification Produced…
2. For an acknowledgment in an individual capacity:
…(First Name)…(Last Name)
…His (or Her) Mark
STATE OF FLORIDA
COUNTY OF…
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this…day of…, (year) , by (name
of person acknowledging) , who signed with a mark in the presence of these witnesses:
…(Signature of Notary Public - State of Florida)
…(Print, Type, or Stamp Commissioned Name of Notary Public)
Personally Known…OR Produced Identification…
Type of Identification Produced…
(d) A notary public may sign the name of a person whose signature is to be notarized when that
person is physically unable to sign or make a signature mark on a document if:
1. The person with a disability directs the notary to sign in his or her presence;
2. The document signing is witnessed by two disinterested persons;
3. The notary writes below the signature the following statement: “Signature affixed by notary,
pursuant to s. 117.05(14), Florida Statutes, and states the circumstances of the signing in the
notarial certificate.
(e) The following notarial certificates are sufficient for the purpose of notarizing for a person with
a disability who directs the notary to sign his or her name:
1. For an oath or affirmation:
STATE OF FLORIDA
COUNTY OF…
Sworn to (or affirmed) before me this…day of…, (year) , by (name of person making
statement) , and subscribed by (name of notary) at the direction of and in the presence
of (name of person making statement) , and in the presence of these witnesses:
…(Signature of Notary Public - State of Florida)
…(Print, Type, or Stamp Commissioned Name of Notary Public)
Personally Known…OR Produced Identification…
Type of Identification Produced…
2. For an acknowledgment in an individual capacity:
STATE OF FLORIDA
COUNTY OF…
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this…day of…, (year) , by (name
of person acknowledging) and subscribed by (name of notary) at the direction of and in the
presence of (name of person acknowledging) , and in the presence of these witnesses:
…(Signature of Notary Public - State of Florida)
…(Print, Type, or Stamp Commissioned Name of Notary Public)
Personally Known…OR Produced Identification…
Type of Identification Produced…
117.06 Validity of acts prior to April 1, 1903.
Any and all notarial acts that were done by any notary public in the state prior to April 1, 1903, which
would have been valid had not the term of office of the notary public expired, are declared to be valid.
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(i) Charging fees in excess of fees authorized by this chapter.
(j) Failure to maintain the bond required by this section.
(5)(a) If a notary public receives notice from the Department of State that his or her office has been declared
vacant, the notary shall forthwith mail or deliver to the Secretary of State his or her notary commission.
(b) A notary public who wishes to resign his or her commission, or a notary public who does not
maintain legal residence in this state during the entire term of appointment, or a notary public whose
resignation is required by the Governor, shall send a signed letter of resignation to the Governor and shall
return his or her certificate of notary public commission. The resigning notary public shall destroy his or
her official notary public seal of office, unless the Governor requests its return.
(6) No person may be automatically reappointed as a notary public. The application process must be
completed regardless of whether an applicant is requesting his or her first notary commission, a renewal
of a commission, or any subsequent commission.
(7)(a) A notary public shall, prior to executing the duties of the office and throughout the term of office,
give bond, payable to any individual harmed as a result of a breach of duty by the notary public acting in
his or her official capacity, in the amount of $7,500, conditioned for the due discharge of the office and
shall take an oath that he or she will honestly, diligently, and faithfully discharge the duties of the notary
public. The bond shall be approved and filed with the Department of State and executed by a surety
company for hire duly authorized to transact business in this state.
(b) Any notary public whose term of appointment extends beyond January 1, 1999, is required to
increase the amount of his or her bond to $7,500 only upon reappointment on or after January 1, 1999.
(c) Beginning July 1, 1996, surety companies for hire which process notary public applications, oaths,
affidavits of character, and bonds for submission to the Department of State must properly submit these
documents in a software and hard copy format approved by the Department of State.
(8) Upon payment to any individual harmed as a result of a breach of duty by the notary public, the
entity who has issued the bond for the notary public shall notify the Governor of the payment and the
circumstances which led to the claim.
117.021 Electronic notarization.
(1) Any document requiring notarization may be notarized electronically. The provisions of ss. 117.01,
117.03, 117.04, 117.05(1)-(11), (13), and (14), 117.105, and 117.107 apply to all notarizations under
this section.
(2) In performing an electronic notarial act, a notary public shall use an electronic signature that is:
(a) Unique to the notary public;
(b) Capable of independent verification;
(c) Retained under the notary public’s sole control; and
(d) Attached to or logically associated with the electronic document in a manner that any subsequent
alteration to the electronic document displays evidence of the alteration.
(3) When a signature is required to be accompanied by a notary public seal, the requirement is satis-
fied when the electronic signature of the notary public contains all of the following seal information:
(a) The full name of the notary public exactly as provided on the notary public’s application for commission;
(b) The words “Notary Public State of Florida”;
(c) The date of expiration of the commission of the notary public; and
(d) The notary public’s commission number.
(4) Failure of a notary public to comply with any of the requirements of this section may constitute
grounds for suspension of the notary public’s commission by the Executive Office of the Governor.
(5) The Department of State may adopt rules to ensure the security, reliability, and uniformity of
signatures and seals authorized in this section.
117.03 Administration of oaths.
A notary public may administer an oath and make a certificate thereof when it is necessary for the
execution of any writing or document to be published under the seal of a notary public. The notary public
may not take an acknowledgment of execution in lieu of an oath if an oath is required.
117.04 Acknowledgments.
A notary public is authorized to take the acknowledgments of deeds and other instruments of writing
for record, as fully as other officers of this state.
117.045 Marriages.
A notary public is authorized to solemnize the rites of matrimony. For solemnizing the rites of matri-
mony, the fee of a notary public may not exceed those provided by law to the clerks of the circuit court
for like services.
117.05 Use of notary commission; unlawful use; notary fee; seal; duties; employer liabil-
ity; name change; advertising; photocopies; penalties.
(1) No person shall obtain or use a notary public commission in other than his or her legal name, and it
is unlawful for a notary public to notarize his or her own signature. Any person applying for a notary public
commission must submit proof of identity to the Department of State if so requested. Any person who
violates the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided
in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(2)(a) The fee of a notary public may not exceed $10 for any one notarial act, except as provided in s.
117.045.
(b) A notary public may not charge a fee for witnessing an absentee ballot in an election, and must
witness such a ballot upon the request of an elector, provided the notarial act is in accordance with the
provisions of this chapter.
(3)(a) A notary public seal shall be affixed to all notarized paper documents and shall be of the rubber
stamp type and shall include the words “Notary Public-State of Florida.” The seal shall also include the name
of the notary public, the date of expiration of the commission of the notary public, and the commission number.
The rubber stamp seal must be affixed to the notarized paper document in photographically reproducible black
ink. Every notary public shall print, type, or stamp below his or her signature on a paper document his or her
name exactly as commissioned. An impression-type seal may be used in addition to the rubber stamp seal, but
the rubber stamp seal shall be the official seal for use on a paper document, and the impression-type seal may
not be substituted therefor.
(b) Any notary public whose term of appointment extends beyond January 1, 1992, is required to use a rub-
ber stamp type notary public seal on paper documents only upon reappointment on or after January 1, 1992.
(c) The notary public official seal and the certificate of notary public commission are the exclusive property
of the notary public and must be kept under the direct and exclusive control of the notary public. The seal
and certificate of commission must not be surrendered to an employer upon termination of employment,
regardless of whether the employer paid for the seal or for the commission.
(d) A notary public whose official seal is lost, stolen, or believed to be in the possession of another person
shall immediately notify the Department of State or the Governor in writing.
(e) Any person who unlawfully possesses a notary public official seal or any papers or copies relating to notarial
acts is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
(4) When notarizing a signature, a notary public shall complete a jurat or notarial certificate in substantially
the same form as those found in subsection (13). The jurat or certificate of acknowledgment shall contain
the following elements:
(a) The venue stating the location of the notarization in the format, “State of Florida,
County of _______________.”
(b) The type of notarial act performed, an oath or an acknowledgment, evidenced by the words “sworn”
or “acknowledged.”
(c) That the signer personally appeared before the notary public at the time of the notarization.
(d) The exact date of the notarial act.
(e) The name of the person whose signature is being notarized. It is presumed, absent such specific nota-
tion by the notary public, that notarization is to all signatures.
(f) The specific type of identification the notary public is relying upon in identifying the signer, either based
on personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence specified in subsection (5).
(g) The notary’s official signature.
(h) The notary’s name, typed, printed, or stamped below the signature.
(i) The notary’s official seal affixed below or to either side of the notary’s signature.
(5) A notary public may not notarize a signature on a document unless he or she personally knows, or has
satisfactory evidence, that the person whose signature is to be notarized is the individual who is described
in and who is executing the instrument. A notary public shall certify in the certificate of acknowledgment
or jurat the type of identification, either based on personal knowledge or other form of identification, upon
which the notary public is relying.
(a) For purposes of this subsection, “personally knows” means having an acquaintance, derived from asso-
ciation with the individual, which establishes the individual’s identity with at least a reasonable certainty.
(b) For the purposes of this subsection, “satisfactory evidence” means the absence of any information,
evidence, or other circumstances which would lead a reasonable person to believe that the person whose
signature is to be notarized is not the person he or she claims to be and any one of the following:
1. The sworn written statement of one credible witness personally known to the notary public or the
sworn written statement of two credible witnesses whose identities are proven to the notary public upon the
presentation of satisfactory evidence that each of the following is true:
a. That the person whose signature is to be notarized is the person named in the document;
b. That the person whose signature is to be notarized is personally known to the witnesses;
c. That it is the reasonable belief of the witnesses that the circumstances of the person whose signature
is to be notarized are such that it would be very difficult or impossible for that person to obtain another
acceptable form of identification;
d. That it is the reasonable belief of the witnesses that the person whose signature is to be notarized does
not possess any of the identification documents specified in subparagraph 2.; and
e. That the witnesses do not have a financial interest in nor are parties to the underlying transaction; or
2. Reasonable reliance on the presentation to the notary public of any one of the following forms of
identification, if the document is current or has been issued within the past 5 years and bears a serial or
other identifying number:
a. A Florida identification card or driver’s license issued by the public agency authorized to issue
driver’s licenses;
b. A passport issued by the Department of State of the United States;
c. A passport issued by a foreign government if the document is stamped by the United States Bureau
of Citizenship and Immigration Services;
d. A driver’s license or an identification card issued by a public agency authorized to issue driver’s licenses
in a state other than Florida, a territory of the United States, or Canada or Mexico;
e. An identification card issued by any branch of the armed forces of the United States;
f. An inmate identification card issued on or after January 1, 1991, by the Florida Department of
Corrections for an inmate who is in the custody of the department;
g. An inmate identification card issued by the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons, for
an inmate who is in the custody of the department;
h. A sworn, written statement from a sworn law enforcement officer that the forms of identification for an
inmate in an institution of confinement were confiscated upon confinement and that the person named in
the document is the person whose signature is to be notarized; or
i. An identification card issued by the United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.
(6) The employer of a notary public shall be liable to the persons involved for all damages proximately
caused by the notary’s official misconduct, if the notary public was acting within the scope of his or her
employment at the time the notary engaged in the official misconduct.
(7) Any person who acts as or otherwise willfully impersonates a notary public while not lawfully
appointed and commissioned to perform notarial acts is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree,
punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
(8) Any notary public who knowingly acts as a notary public after his or her commission has expired is
guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
(9) Any notary public who lawfully changes his or her name shall, within 60 days after such change,
request an amended commission from the Secretary of State and shall send $25, his or her current
commission, and a notice of change form, obtained from the Secretary of State, which shall include the
new name and contain a specimen of his or her official signature. The Secretary of State shall issue an
amended commission to the notary public in the new name. A rider to the notary public’s bond must
accompany the notice of change form. After submitting the required notice of change form and rider to
the Secretary of State, the notary public may continue to perform notarial acts in his or her former name
for 60 days or until receipt of the amended commission, whichever date is earlier.
(10) A notary public who is not an attorney who advertises the services of a notary public in a language other
than English, whether by radio, television, signs, pamphlets, newspapers, or other written communication, with
the exception of a single desk plaque, shall post or otherwise include with the advertisement a notice in English
and in the language used for the advertisement. The notice shall be of a conspicuous size, if in writing, and
shall state: “I AM NOT AN ATTORNEY LICENSED TO PRACTICE LAW IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND I
MAY NOT GIVE LEGAL ADVICE OR ACCEPT FEES FOR LEGAL ADVICE.” If the advertisement is by radio
or television, the statement may be modified but must include substantially the same message.
(11) Literal translation of the phrase “Notary Public” into a language other than English is prohibited
in an advertisement for notarial services.
(12)(a) A notary public may supervise the making of a photocopy of an original document and attest
to the trueness of the copy, provided the document is neither a vital record in this state, another state,
a territory of the United States, or another country, nor a public record, if a copy can be made by the
custodian of the public record.
(b) A notary public must use a certificate in substantially the following form in notarizing an
attested copy:
STATE OF FLORIDA
COUNTY OF…
On this…day of…, (year) , I attest that the preceding or attached document is a
true, exact, complete, and unaltered photocopy made by me of (description of
document)…presented to me by the document’s custodian,…, and, to the best of
my knowledge, that the photocopied document is neither a vital record nor a public
record, certified copies of which are available from an official source other than a
notary public.
…(Official Notary Signature and Notary Seal)
…(Name of Notary Typed, Printed or Stamped)
(13) The following notarial certificates are sufficient for the purposes indicated, if completed with
the information required by this chapter. The specification of forms under this subsection does not
preclude the use of other forms.
(a) For an oath or affirmation:
STATE OF FLORIDA
COUNTY OF…
Sworn to (or affirmed) and subscribed before me this…day of…, (year) , by (name of
person making statement) .
…(Signature of Notary Public - State of Florida)
…(Print, Type, or Stamp Commissioned Name of Notary Public)
Personally Known…OR Produced Identification…
Type of Identification Produced…
(b) For an acknowledgment in an individual capacity:
STATE OF FLORIDA
COUNTY OF…
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this…day of __________, (year) ,
by (name of person acknowledging) .
…(Signature of Notary Public - State of Florida)
…(Print, Type, or Stamp Commissioned Name of Notary Public)
Personally Known…OR Produced Identification…
Type of Identification Produced…
(c) For an acknowledgment in a representative capacity:
STATE OF FLORIDA
COUNTY OF…
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this…day of…, (year) , by (name
of person) as (type of authority, e.g. officer, trustee, attorney in fact) for (name of party
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