What does a notary do?
Short answer
A notary public is a state-commissioned official who verifies the identity of a signer, confirms the signer is acting willingly, and completes an official certificate recording the act.
Full explanation
A notary is an impartial witness. They do not draft your document, decide whether it is a good idea, or give legal advice. Their job is to deter fraud by confirming that the person signing is who they claim to be, that they appeared in person, and that they signed willingly.
Common mistake to avoid
A notary cannot tell you what your document means or which form you need. Those questions belong to an attorney or the agency requesting the document.
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