What does it mean to get a document notarized?
A notarized document is a legal document that has been authenticated, witnessed by and certified by a notary public.
In British Columbia, notary publics are appointed by the Supreme Court of British Columbia. More specifically, B.C. notary publics can help notarize legal documents of all kinds.
Notary publics are legal officers who can help you with administering oaths, authenticating legal documents, contracts, and copies, and taking affidavits and declarations on legal matters.
Notarizing Documents in BC: 5 Simple Steps
What does getting a document notarized in B.C. look like?
Juris Notary breaks down the notarization procedure into 5 steps below:
- Consultation with Your Notary Public
We begin by meeting with you to discuss your notarization needs. You will be asked to bring valid identification (e.g. 2 pieces of valid government-issued photo ID) to your notarization signing, as well as any paperwork and supplementary information needed to process your legal document(s).
- Paperwork Preparation
Once all information and documents (e.g. contracts) are prepared for notarization, all parties in the agreement are asked to be present for the witnessing of signatures by a notary public. All signing parties must bring personal identification as required.
- Witnessing of Signatures
Once your identities are validated, your notary public will witness the signature(s) and apply their stamp and/or seal upon the authentication of your notarized document.
- Seal of Authentication
Once the seal has been applied, your document is officially notarized.
- Debriefing (if needed)
If you have any additional questions regarding your notarized document, always speak with your notary public directly regarding your legal documents.
The notary public’s job is to check for identification, willing signers and capability of making sound decisions.
Note that a notary may refuse to validate a signature should he or she find any problems with a signer. Be sure to have all the paperwork and parties involved prepared for the day of signing to ensure a smooth notarization process.
To learn more about the notarization procedure in detail, feel free to check out our other blog posts by clicking here.
For more information on certifying and notarizing documents in Canada, click here.
How Juris Notary Can Help
At Juris Notary, we can help with the planning and processing of your notarized documents as needed. We maintain a standardized procedure where we can meet our clients in person and go over any questions or concerns you may have regarding your legal documents.
Should you have any further questions regarding notarization, or about the services that a Notary Public can provide for you, feel free to contact us at 604.416.0211 or info@jurisnotary.com to speak with a legal representative today.
