Yes, as of January 25, 2023, all New York notaries must keep a detailed record book (notary journal) for all notarial acts, and these records must be kept for at least 10 years.

We appreciate it if you can schedule your appointment at least 24 hours before your desired time. However, we will do everything in our power to accommodate your need for more immediate appointments if our Notaries are available.

Acceptable IDs commonly used include:

• Valid Driver’s License or State Issued ID. (expired licenses or ID’s are not acceptable)

• Valid U.S. Passport / Card

• Certificate of Citizenship

• A Valid Foreign Passport

• Military ID

We can not notarize the following documents:

• Vital Records: Notaries are prohibited by law from certifying copies of vital records such as birth, death, and marriage certificates.

• Court Documents: Documents like divorce judgments and official court orders cannot be certified as true copies by a notary.

• Official Government Records: Documents issued by the New York State Secretary of State (e.g., Articles of Incorporation, Certificates of Status) cannot be copy-certified.

• Diplomas & Passports: You cannot certify copies of academic diplomas, transcripts, or U.S. passports.

• Documents with Blank Spaces: Notarization is not allowed if a document contains uncompleted blank spaces or missing pages.

• Documents Without a Notarial Certificate: If a document lacks the required notarial wording (e.g., an acknowledgment or jurat) and the signer cannot—or will not—instruct the notary on which type is required.

New York State Notary Publics cannot and must not notarize a blank or incomplete document.

For an acknowledgment, the signer must still personally appear before the notary and acknowledge their signature. For a jurat, the document must be signed in the notary's presence.

We are not Attorneys and do not give legal advice.

No. A notarization simply certifies the identity of the signer and that the document was signed voluntarily. It does not make the document "legal" or true.

In New York State, a Notary Public is not authorized to certify copies of official documents like birth or marriage certificates. However, a notary can notarize an affidavit in which the document's custodian swears that the copy is authentic.