Can a notarial certificate be corrected?
Short answer
Minor errors caught at the signing are usually corrected by lining through the error, writing the correction, and initialing and dating it. After the signer has left, most states require a new notarization.
Full explanation
A notary may correct their own certificate while the signer is still present, because the notary can still verify the facts. Once the parties disperse, changing the certificate means certifying facts that were not verified at that moment. The proper remedy is to redo the notarization with the signer present, or to attach a new, correct certificate at a new appearance.
Common mistake to avoid
Never let a title company, attorney, or lender talk you into "fixing" a certificate for a signing you no longer remember or that already closed.
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