Notarization is more than simply stamping and signing a document. As a Pennsylvania notary public, you are responsible for following the proper steps, identifying the signer, reviewing the document, completing the correct notarial wording, and recording the act in your journal.

At the Pennsylvania Association of Notaries, we know that every notarization must be handled carefully and correctly. Whether you are performing an acknowledgment, a verification on oath or affirmation, or witnessing or attesting a signature, the core responsibility remains the same: protect the integrity of the notarization and follow Pennsylvania notary requirements.

Below is a helpful overview of a Pennsylvania notary’s responsibilities during a notarization.

1. Require Personal Appearance

The first responsibility of a Pennsylvania notary is to require the customer to personally appear before you.

Personal appearance means the signer must be physically present before the notary, or appear through an approved method if remote online notarization is being properly performed under Pennsylvania law.

A notary should never notarize a document for someone who is not present. Personal appearance allows you to verify identity, assess willingness, communicate with the signer, and complete the notarial act properly.

2. Identify Your Customer
Typically, this involves reviewing acceptable identification documents or, in some cases, relying on personal knowledge or a credible witness. When reviewing identification, make sure the ID reasonably matches the customer appearing before you.

If the presented identification contains a signature, compare it with the signature on the document.

Proper identification is one of the most important parts of the notarization process. It helps prevent fraud, protects the integrity of the notarial act, and ensures the customer is the person they claim to be.

3. Review the Document for Blank Spaces and Notary Wording

Before performing the notarial act, carefully review the document.

You should check for:
 

• Blank spaces
• Missing pages
• Incomplete information
• Notarial wording
• The type of notarial act being requested

Blank spaces can create problems because information could potentially be added after the notarization. If there are blanks, the signer will need to either fill in the blanks, line through them, or otherwise address them before the notarization proceeds.

You should also look for the notarial certificate, or at PAN, more commonly called the notary wording. This wording tells you what type of notarial act is being requested.

Common notarial acts include:
 

• Acknowledgment
• Verification on oath or affirmation
• Witnessing or attesting a signature

The notarial wording matters because it determines what steps you must follow.

What If the Document Does Not Have Notary Wording?

Sometimes a document may be presented without notarial wording. In that situation, you should not guess what type of notarial act is needed.

You may explain the different types of notarial acts, but the customer must choose the type of notarization they want unless another authorized party, such as the document recipient or an attorney, provides direction.

If the document does not contain notarial wording, the customer may need to contact the receiving party, document preparer, or legal advisor to determine what type of notarization is required. Once the correct notarial act is determined, the appropriate notarial certificate can be added or attached.

For more guidance, check out our video on this topic:
What to do when a document does not have notary wording

Understanding the Main Types of Notarial Acts

Once you review the document and identify the notarial wording, your responsibilities depend on the type of notarization being performed.

Verification on Oath or Affirmation

If the document contains verification on oath or affirmation wording, you must administer an oath or affirmation to the customer.

This means the signer is swearing or affirming that the statements in the document are true.

For this type of notarization, you should:
 

1. Administer the oath or affirmation
2. Listen for the customer’s affirmative response
3. Watch the customer sign the verification on oath or affirmation
4. Compare the signature on the document to the signature on the presented identification, if the presented identification contains a signature
5. Complete the notary wording
6. Apply your official stamp and signature on the document
7. Make a complete entry in your journal

The oath or affirmation is a required part of this notarial act. The signer must respond affirmatively. Simply signing the document is not enough.

Acknowledgment

If the document contains acknowledgment wording, your role is different.

With an acknowledgment, the customer is acknowledging that they signed the document voluntarily and understood what they were doing. The document may already be signed before the customer appears before you, or it may be signed in your presence.

For an acknowledgment, you should:
 

1. Confirm the customer’s understanding and willingness
2. Witness or authenticate the customer’s signature
3. Compare the signature on the document to the signature on the presented identification, if the presented identification contains a signature
4. Complete the notary wording
5. Apply your official stamp and signature on the document
6. Make a complete entry in your journal

The key responsibility in an acknowledgment is confirming that the customer understands the document and is signing willingly.

Witnessing or Attesting a Signature

If the document contains witnessing or attesting a signature wording, you must watch the customer sign the document.

This type of notarization requires the signature to be made in your presence.

For witnessing or attesting a signature, you should:
 

1. Watch your customer sign the document
2. Compare the signature on the document to the signature on the presented identification, if the presented identification contains a signature
3. Complete the notary wording
4. Apply your official stamp and signature on the document
5. Make a complete entry in your journal

Unlike an acknowledgment, where the signature may already be on the document, witnessing or attesting a signature requires you to actually observe the signing.

Complete the Notary Wording

After the proper steps have been followed, you must complete the notarial wording.

This typically includes information such as:
 

• Venue
• Date of notarization
• Name of the signer
• Notary signature
• Official stamp

The notary wording should be completed clearly and accurately. Incomplete or incorrect wording can cause the document to be rejected.

Never leave the notarial certificate incomplete. Once you sign and stamp the document, the certificate should be fully completed.

Apply Your Official Stamp and Signature

After completing the notary wording, apply your official stamp and signature to the document.

Your official stamp is an important part of the notarization. It identifies you as the notary and provides key commission information.

Before applying your stamp, make sure:
 

• The correct notarial act has been performed
• The notary wording is complete
• The date is accurate
• The customer has appeared before you
• The document is ready to be notarized

Your stamp and signature should be placed carefully so they are clear, legible, and not covering important text.

Make a Complete Journal Entry

A complete journal entry is a crucial part of the notarization process.

Pennsylvania notaries are required to maintain a journal of notarial acts. This journal helps create a record of the notarization and may be important if a question or dispute arises later.

A proper journal entry should be completed for each notarial act. While the specific details may vary depending on the situation, the journal generally records important information about the notarization, the customer, the document, and the identification method used.

Do not skip this step. Your journal is a key part of your notarial responsibilities, and it should be completed before the customer leaves your presence.

Why These Steps Matter

Every step in the notarization process serves a purpose.

Requiring personal appearance helps prevent fraud. Identifying the customer confirms who is signing. Reviewing the document helps ensure it is ready for notarization. Looking for notary wording tells you which notarial act to perform. Completing the certificate, applying your stamp, and making a journal entry create the official record of the act.

When followed properly, these steps protect:
 

• The customer
• The receiving party
• The notary
• The integrity of the document
• The public trust in notarization

By carefully following these responsibilities, Pennsylvania notaries can perform their duties with confidence, accuracy, and professionalism.

If you have questions and are a PAN member, please don’t hesitate to contact us. That’s what we are here for!

If you are already a notary and would like to become a member of PAN, visit:
https://www.notary.org/services/membership

If you are interested in becoming a notary, let us help you:
https://www.notary.org/become-a-pa-notary

If you need to renew your notary commission, visit:
https://www.notary.org/pa-notary-renewal