No, you cannot notarize your own documents. State notary laws, such as California Government Code §8224 and Florida Statutes §117.107, bar a notary from notarizing a document in which they are a party or have a financial interest.
Notarization only works because the notary is an impartial witness who checks who is signing, and nobody can be impartial about their own document.
This guide explains why you cannot notarize your own documents, what counts as a conflict of interest, the rules for family members and employers in four states, and how to get your document notarized instead.
Key Takeaways
- You cannot notarize your own documents. In California, Colorado and Florida, a notary who is a party to a document or has a financial interest in it may not notarize it.
- California bars a notary with a direct financial or beneficial interest in a transaction from performing any notarial act for it (Gov. Code §8224).
- Florida bars a notary from notarizing the signature of their spouse, son, daughter, mother or father (Fla. Stat. §117.107(11)).
- Colorado extends the conflict rule to the notary’s spouse or civil union partner, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren and siblings.
- Texas has no specific ban on notarizing for relatives, but a notary should not act if they are a party to the document or interested in the transaction.
- In California, Florida and Texas, an employee may notarize for their employer, with conditions.
Why a Notary Cannot Notarize Their Own Documents
A notary public is an impartial witness. When a notary notarizes a signature, they confirm who signed the document, and that check has no value if the notary is the person signing.
The Colorado Secretary of State answers the question directly. Asked “Can I notarize my own document or signature?”, its notary FAQ says “No”, because a notary with a disqualifying interest in a document cannot legally perform any notarial act in connection with it.
If you are not a commissioned notary, you cannot notarize any document. If you are a notary, your commission lets you notarize for other people, not for documents you sign or benefit from.
What Counts as a Conflict of Interest?
A conflict of interest means the notary is part of the transaction or gains something from it. States describe it in slightly different words.
In Colorado, a notary has a disqualifying interest if they are a party to or named in the document, or if they may receive an advantage, right, interest, cash or property worth more than the notary fee.
California Government Code §8224 bars a notary with a direct financial or beneficial interest in a transaction from performing any notarial act in connection with it. The notary has that interest if they are named individually as a principal to a financial transaction, or, in a real property transaction, as for example the grantor, grantee, mortgagor, mortgagee, trustee, beneficiary, buyer, seller, lessor or lessee.
Florida Statutes §117.107(12) says a notary may not notarize a signature on a document if they have a financial interest in or are a party to the underlying transaction.
Can a Notary Notarize for Family Members?
It depends on the state. Some states name the relatives a notary may not notarize for, while others rely only on the general conflict rule.
| State | Rule for family members | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | A notary may not notarize the signature of their spouse, son, daughter, mother or father. | Fla. Stat. §117.107(11) |
| Colorado | A notary has a disqualifying interest if their spouse or civil union partner, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren or siblings are a party to, are named in or benefit from the document. | Colorado Secretary of State, notary FAQ |
| Texas | No specific prohibition on notarizing for a spouse or relative, but a notary should not act if they are a party to the instrument or interested in the transaction. | Texas Secretary of State, notary FAQ |
| California | No list of relatives. The test is whether the notary has a direct financial or beneficial interest in the transaction. | Cal. Gov. Code §8224 |
The Colorado notary FAQ gives examples of prohibited acts: a notary notarizing their son’s divorce documents, or a will in which the notary’s mother is a beneficiary.
Employers, Companies and Attorneys
Florida lets a notary who is an employee notarize a signature for their employer, as long as they receive no benefit other than their salary and the notary fee. Under Florida law, that employment does not make the notary a party to the transaction.
California says a notary has no direct financial or beneficial interest when they act as an agent, employee, insurer, attorney, escrow or lender for a person who has the interest.
Texas points to §121.002 of its Civil Practice and Remedies Code, which allows an employee of a corporation to take an acknowledgment of a document in which the corporation has an interest.
Florida also lets an attorney who is a notary notarize a client’s signature, as long as they are the client’s attorney of record and have no interest in the document beyond their legal fee and the notary fee.
How to Get Your Own Documents Notarized
If you need your own signature notarized, you need a notary who is not a party to the document and does not benefit from it. That applies whether you are a notary or not.
A Post Office is not an option either; see does the post office notarize documents.
With NotaryPublic24 you can have your document notarized online in three steps:
Need it today? See same-day notarization.
- Upload your document.
- Complete the checkout.
- Verify your identity, and the notary completes the notarization.
Order International Notarization to get started.
Our guide on how to notarize an affidavit, power of attorney or contract explains what to prepare. Check first whether your document needs an acknowledgment or a jurat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a notary notarize their own signature?
No. A notary cannot notarize their own signature, because they would be both the signer and the impartial witness. The Colorado Secretary of State says a notary with a disqualifying interest in a document cannot legally perform any notarial act for it, and being a party to the document is such an interest.
Can a notary notarize for their spouse?
It depends on the state. Florida law bars a notary from notarizing their spouse’s signature. Colorado treats it as a conflict if the spouse is a party to, is named in or benefits from the document. Texas has no specific ban but says a notary should not act if they are interested in the transaction.
Can my mom notarize documents for me?
In Florida, no, because a notary may not notarize the signature of their son or daughter. In Colorado, a parent who is a notary cannot notarize a document in which their child is a party or is named. In Texas there is no specific prohibition, as long as the notary has no interest in the transaction.
Can a notary notarize documents for their own company?
It depends on the notary’s role. In Florida an employee may notarize for their employer if they get no benefit beyond salary and the notary fee, and Texas law lets an employee of a corporation take acknowledgments for it. A Florida notary with any other financial interest in the transaction may not notarize it.
Can an attorney notarize a document they prepared?
In Florida, an attorney who is a notary may notarize a client’s signature if they are the client’s attorney of record and have no interest in the document beyond their legal fee and the notary fee. California also says acting as an attorney does not give the notary a direct interest. Check the rules in your own state.
Can you notarize your own documents online?
No. Online notarization still needs a separate notary who is not part of your document and who checks your identity. With NotaryPublic24 you upload your document, complete the checkout and verify your identity, and the notary completes the notarization online.