Find a Notary Near Me in Florida

There are many occasions when you may ask yourself, “How do I find a notary near me?” Notaries, including mobile notaries and notary signing agents,  play a crucial role in Florida by serving the public as impartial witnesses to important transactions, verifying the identities of the individuals involved in notarizations, and witnessing them sign documents.

You might need to use a Florida notary locator to search for a notary near you, if:

1. You need to have an acknowledgement taken.

Many documents require you to take an acknowledgment. This means you will make a statement indicating that you voluntarily signed a document before the notarization took place. For an acknowledgement, you physically appear before a notary and declare (that is, “acknowledge”) that you signed the document for the purposes stated therein.

2. You are buying or selling a house.

If you are buying or selling a house, you will need multiple signatures notarized. When it comes to these kinds of complex real estate loan documents, you want to locate a notary signing agent. Notary signing agents print loan documents, meet you at  your house, show you where to sign, and notarize multiple signatures on several pages of documentation. 

3. You are starting a business.

Starting your own business is a bold adventure that requires many documents, some of which will no doubt have to be notarized. Some business documents requiring notarization include commercial leases and employment documents.

4. You are selling a car as a private seller.

In Florida, if  you sell a car to a private individual, you are required to present the buyer with a bill of sale. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles recommends you have this bill of sale notarized by a Florida notary public.  In this case, you may find it convenient to find a mobile notary who will come to you to notarize the bill of sale.  A mobile notary may charge an additional travel fee for this convenience. 

5. You need a copy certified.

Florida notaries are authorized to attest to the truthfulness of a photocopy. A notary or mobile notary may certify copies of original documents, provided they are not vital records (such as a birth certificate or marriage certificate) or other publicly recordable documents. The document must be an original, and the Florida notary must supervise the photocopying process.

6. You are applying for a Florida title for the first time on a used motor vehicle. 

When you apply for a Florida title for the first time on a used motor vehicle, Florida law requires that the owner of the vehicle sign a sworn statement that the odometer reading and the vehicle identification number (VIN) on the document are correct. Florida law also requires a physical inspection of the VIN. Florida notaries public are authorized to verify VINs. The notary will certify, on a form prescribed by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, that he or she has physically checked your vehicle for this number and verified it.

7. You work for a financial institution and need to have a safe deposit box opened.

A Florida notary can certify the contents of a safe deposit box when the rent is past due and it is opened. The notary must be present when the box is opened and cannot be an employee of the financial institution, so it may be necessary to use a notary locator to find a notary to help with this task. When the box is opened, the notary will inventory its contents and complete a certificate containing the date the box was opened, the name of the lessee, and the contents of the box.

8. You need to make an oath or affirmation.

Some documents will require you to make an oath or affirmation. When making an oath, you vow to the truthfulness of a document using the word “swear” and invoking a deity. When making an affirmation notarization, you vow of truthfulness of a document without invoking a deity or using the word “swear.”

How to Find a Florida Notary Near Me

When you find yourself in one of these circumstances, you’ll want to use a notary locator to search for a notary public, mobile notary, or notary signing agent near you. The American Association of Notaries (AAN) offers a free Florida Notary Locator that is easy to use.

On AAN’s Florida Notary Locator, you can search for a notary by name, zip code, city and state, or country. Narrow your search for a notary by type (AAN member, online notary, eNotary, or mobile notary). You can also search for notaries who have had their contact information and credentials (notary commission, errors and omissions insurance, signing agent credentials, or background check) verified by AAN.

AAN’s Florida Notary locator is free to use and returns a list of nearby notaries within seconds. Simply visit https://www.notarypublicstamps.com/find-a-notary/florida and enter your search criteria.