Notary Service

 

Notary

The Jesup Public Library has staff commissioned by the Iowa Secretary of State to serve as notaries to the public in accordance with the Iowa Code Chapter 9B and rules in 721 - Chapter 43.

Notary service is available free of charge on a drop in basis and is subject to staff availability. It is recommended that patrons call ahead to confirm hours and availability of notary service.

Additionally:

  • All document signers must personally appear before the notary with a current and valid government-issued photo identification, demonstrate competency, and willingness to sign.
  • The person who will sign the document must be sure that the document is completely filled out – leaving no blanks other than where the customer will sign the document – before appearing before the library notary. Library notaries may not notarize any document with blank spaces.
  • Notaries cannot pre-date or post-date any action, prepare a legal document, give advice on legal matters, or notarize documents in which they have a personal interest.
  • The library adheres to Iowa State Code Chapter 9B with regards to identification of the individual seeking notary services and will not provide witnesses, nor may witnesses be solicited from customers using the library.
  • The information must be clearly written. The library notary and the patron requesting notary service must be able to clearly communicate directly with each other. Notaries are not permitted to make use of a translator to communicate from the customer requesting notary services.
  • Notary service is not available for I-9 forms, wills, codicils or depositions.
  • Certain public documents cannot be copied and/or notarized such as Birth Certificates, Adoption Records and/or Marriage Licenses. Notaries will not notarize photocopies of public documents.
  • Notaries will not provide service if the customer, the document or any circumstances of the request for notary service raise any issue of authenticity, ambiguity, doubt or uncertainty for the library.
  • Should a problem appear/occur, the library notary may, at their sole discretion, decline to provide notary service.
  • Notary service is not available for handwritten deeds.
  • Notaries shall not notarize documents written in any language other than English.
  • The signer and notary must be able to directly communicate and understand each other in the same language without reliance on a third party to interpret another language.
  • Notaries will only place their seal or stamp on a page containing a valid certificate of notarial act.