What We Do

OATH ADMINISTERED TO A NOTARY PUBLIC:

"You do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that you will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the state of Connecticut; and that you will faithfully discharge, according to law, the duties of the office of notary public to the best of your abilities; so help you God."

Duties of a Notary Public

Acknowledgments

"A formal declaration before an authorized official by the person who executed an instrument that such instrument is his/her free act and deed."

Oaths & Affirmations

"An affirmation of the truth of a statement, which renders any person who willfully makes untrue statements subject to the penalties for perjury or false statement "

Affidavits

"A written or printed declaration or statement of facts, made voluntarily and confirmed by the oath or affirmation of the party making it before an officer having authority to administer such oath or affirmation."

What about Certified Copies?

Under Connecticut law, notaries have no authority to prepare "certified" or "true" copies of any documents.

The Secretary of State recommends that all notaries use the following procedure:

  1. The person presenting the document make a photocopy and prepare a written statement, that may be attached to or written on the photocopy itself, stating that it is a true copy of the original.

  2. The individual can then verify under oath, administered by the notary, that the statement is true.

  3. The requesting party signs the statement in the notary's presence.

This procedure will work well with some documents, however, it cannot be used in connection with public records.

A "public record" is one filed with and maintained by a public record keeper, such as a town clerk, court clerk or the Secretary of the State, often pursuant to a statutory requirement. Copies of public records are "certified" when the authority having custody of the records confirms that they are true and accurate copies of the originals.

Connecticut law specifically prohibits anyone other than certain authorized officials from preparing certified copies of certificates of birth, marriage, death, or fetal death.

These records are viewed as critical or "vital" records and are maintained by public record keepers to insure the accuracy and integrity of the information they contain.

If you require a certified copy of such a document, you should contact the public record keeper who has custody of those records.


The information contained in this section was adapted directly from the CT Notary Manual prepared by the Office of the Secretary of State. It is not intended to be legal advice.


Will you Notarize my Will?

The short answer, is, maybe.

Performing any notarial act in connection with a will is a very serious matter, because of the importance of the document itself; the circumstances under which it will be used; and the consequences that could result from the improper execution of the document.

We only provide notarial acts for printed, completed, documents that contain the appropriate form for notarization. Handwritten wills not be notarized. We are unable to provide any assistance with preparation of a Will. Always consult with a qualified attorney for legal advice.

How about a Living Wills / Power of Attorney?

We do take acknowledgments in connection with "Living Wills." These documents are not wills, but rather an expression of an individual's wishes concerning any aspect of his/her health care. However, we are unable to provide any assistance with preparation of a Living Will. Always consult with a qualified attorney for legal advice.


What kind of identification is required?

If the notary does not know the signer personally, Connecticut law requires that the signer provide the notary with at least two forms of identification containing the individual's signature, at least one of which also contains the photograph of the signer, or a physical description.

Can you help me with a real estate closing?

No. State law prohibits any person other than an attorney from such activities. Always consult with a qualified attorney for legal advice.

What does it cost to use a Notary?

Notary Fees are set forth in CT State Law:

Effective July 1, 2000, the fee for any act performed by a notary public, in accordance with the provisions of the general statutes, is five dollars ($5.00) plus an additional thirty-five cents ($.35) for each mile traveled. Additional fees may apply for rush service, same day mobile/remote service.

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