IMPORTANT!!                                           IMPORTANT!!                                   IMPORTANT!!

An Ohio notary (new or renewing) may NOT perform notarizations until their commission is recorded with their county Clerk of Courts, and they have been given the oath of office!! This includes attorney-notaries!

If you have a question about Ohio notary procedures or best practices, call OSN at (614) 336-7878, or email us from the "Contact OSN" tab.

For any notarization in Ohio, the following elements must be completed:

1. Personal appearance is required by all signers. An acknowledgement does not have to actually be signed in front of the notary, but the signer MUST appear (even on a later date), be ID'd and then acknowledge to the notary that the signature is indeed his/hers. If a jurat, it MUST be signed in the notary's presence, and an oath/affirmation administered to the signer.

2. Presentation of identification (preferably with photo and signature)

3. Ensure the signer is aware of the document content, and executes the signature willingly.

4. Check that the signature matches the ID.

5. Scan (don’t read) the document to ensure there are no blank spaces. Remember we notarize signatures, not documents!

6. Complete the notary certificate in acknowledgement or jurat form as required, and ensure the wording is compliant with Ohio law. Double-check spelling of signer’s name. The county venue is always the county where the notarization is being performed!  Be sure to administer the oath/affirmation if jurat language is being used. Failure to do so when required can result in the loss of your commission, a fine and even imprisonment!

7. If there is no notarial language on the document, the notary must ask the signer if they wish an acknowledgement or jurat wording form. A non-attorney notary cannot suggest either format; the signer or document originator must decide. The notary then adds the specified wording form, along with the state/county venue, and completes the notarization of the signer.

8. Regardless of the date on the document, ensure that your notarization is dated with today’s date: backdating is NEVER permitted.

9. Affix the seal legibly near your signature, preferably at least 1" from the page edge: do not cover any wording on the document.

10. Although not required in Ohio, if you are keeping a Journal of Notarial Acts, record the notarization properly.

11. Never give advice about a document, assist with its completion, or engage in the unauthorized practice of law. You may notarize for family members, but make certain that you have no self-interest in the document's content.

12. Do not overcharge!! Notaries are limited to the state-mandated $1.50 for a jurat, and $2.00 for an acknowledgement, plus travel fees if necessary (any travel fee should be agreed upon in advance). These fees are per notarial act, NOT per signature. If you have 5 signers attesting to a single document, you cannot charge 5 separate fees - it's ONE notarial act! Again, there are harsh penalties for overcharging!