History of The Notary

Notaries have been around for thousands of years, with the profession dating all the way back to the Roman Republic around 100 BC. They started out as scribes, but quickly rose in importance as they became experts in legal affairs. The Roman Empire collapsed in the 400s, and with it a great deal of civilization, including widespread literacy and writing. Notaries, also known as scriveners or scribes, were tradesmen who could read and write, and were used to write legal documents.

The way to become a notary can vary greatly from state to state, with some states requiring the successful completion of a notarial exam while others require only that a specific form be completed and fee paid.

There are many guidelines of ethical practices for notaries to follow. For example, notaries cannot sign blank documents, no matter the time issue involved. Similarly, notaries are not allowed to sign a document with blank spaces that designed to be filled in later, no matter how trustworthy the parties seem to be.

Certified copies of birth certificates or marriage certificates can be valuable for identification purposes, but a notary cannot make a certified copy of any document that is recorded with a government agency.