Notarization 
Process

A notarization is a certificate filled out by the Notary, certifying certain facts about the signer and document. The Notary does not verify the accuracy or validity of the document.

Apostille (pronounced ah-po-stee) is a French word that means a certification. In notary language, it refers to a certificate issued by the Secretary of State to authenticate the signature of a notary public and other public officers then placed on documents that are to be sent overseas. The Apostille certifies that the notary’s commission is current and the notary is in good standing.

When a California notary performs an Acknowledgment, it means that the signer must “acknowledge” their signature to the notary by signing in front of the notary or, if it had already been signed, communicating to the notary at the time of notarization that the signature already on the document is theirs. This means that a document does not need to be signed in the notary’s presence if the notary is performing an Acknowledgment because the signer will otherwise “acknowledge” their signature to the notary, usually by communicating either verbally or in writing, in the notaries physical presence, something like, “I have already signed the document”.

When a notary administers a Jurat, the signer must be given an oath (or affirmation) by the notary pertaining to the truthfulness of the contents contained in the document. A document that requires an acknowledgment does not require an oath but a Jurat procedure means that the notary has required and obtained an oath from the signer at the time of notarization. The signer must sign the document in front of the notary at time of notarization.