A Notary Public witnesses the signing of documents?

• A. Only for certain documents
• B. True
• C. Never
• D. Sometimes

Answer: (B)

A Notary Public is there to act as an impartial witness to the signing of documents. When a document is notarized, the signer must appear before the notary, present acceptable identification, and sign (or acknowledge signing) in the notary’s presence. The notary then verifies the signer’s identity and willingness, completes the notarial certificate, and applies the seal. This witnessing of the signing is the core function of notarization, helping ensure the signature is authentic and the document was properly executed. While some documents don’t require notarization and notaries don’t review every document’s content, the act of witnessing the signing itself is central to the notary’s role.