5.4 The Notarization Procedure Step by Step

The Notarization Procedure, Step by Step

Whatever the act — acknowledgment, jurat, oath, or copy certification — Arizona notarizations share a common backbone. The 2025 Reference Manual frames the notary's core duties as: confirm the signer is present, identify them, confirm they are signing willingly and knowingly, complete the certificate accurately, record the act, and seal it. Memorizing this sequence lets you answer almost any "what does the notary do next?" question on the exam, and it keeps you out of disciplinary trouble in practice.

Step 1 — Require Personal Appearance

The signer (and any credible witnesses) must personally appear before you at the time of the act — physically in person, or, for Remote Online Notarization, through an approved live two-way audio-video connection. There is no exception: not for a trusted neighbor, not for a faxed signature, not for a spouse who "will vouch." If the person is not present, stop here. Personal appearance is the foundation that makes every later step meaningful.

Step 2 — Identify the Signer

Establish identity by personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence. Satisfactory evidence normally means a current, government-issued photo ID whose photo and physical description match the person, or — when no ID exists — the credible-witness procedure. Examine the ID for a matching photo, an unexpired date, a signature consistent with the document, and any signs of tampering. If you cannot confirm identity, you cannot proceed.

Step 3 — Confirm Willingness and Awareness

Before completing any act, satisfy yourself that the signer is acting willingly and is aware of what they are signing. You are not judging whether the deal is wise, but you must watch for coercion (a pushy companion answering for the signer) and for incapacity (a signer who is confused, heavily medicated, or cannot communicate that they understand they are signing a document). If the signer appears coerced or unaware, you must refuse. This step protects vulnerable signers and is a frequent exam theme.

Step 4 — Scan the Document and Complete the Certificate

Scan, don't read. You glance over the document to confirm it is complete (no blank spaces — critical for a jurat) and that it contains a notarial certificate. You do not read it for meaning, judge its legality, or explain its terms — doing so is the unauthorized practice of law. Determine the act from the certificate wording ("acknowledged before me" = acknowledgment; "subscribed and sworn" = jurat).

If a jurat or oath is involved, administer it now and get a spoken response. Then complete the certificate: fill in the venue (State of Arizona and the county), the date, and the signer's name, and sign exactly as you are commissioned.

Step 5 — Record the Act in the Journal

Make a contemporaneous entry in your paper journal: date and time, type of act, a description of the document, the signer's name and journal signature, the method of identification (and ID details), and the fee charged. For deeds, other covered real-property documents, and powers of attorney, add the fingerprint required by A.R.S. § 41-254(C) or document the statutory substitute/exception. The journal is your permanent, defensible record and is required for every act — including standalone oaths and copy certifications.

Step 6 — Affix the Seal

Finally, apply your official seal near your signature, using dark reproducible ink, with the impression clear and not overlapping text. The seal authenticates the certificate. With the certificate completed, the act journaled, and the seal applied, the notarization is finished.

The Duty to Refuse

A notary is not a rubber stamp. You must refuse when any pillar of the act is missing:

Refusing is not rude — it is the law, and it shields you and the public from fraud. Document the refusal in your journal if helpful, but never complete a certificate you cannot truthfully sign.

Worked Example: A Loan-Signing Appointment Gone Sideways

Example: You arrive at a kitchen table to notarize a refinance package. The borrower's adult son is hovering and answers your questions for his father. The father seems unsure what he is signing. One document is an affidavit of occupancy with a jurat certificate; a date field is blank. Another is a deed of trust with an acknowledgment certificate.

Step 1 — Appearance. The father is present. ✔

Step 2 — Identify. He presents a current Arizona driver's license that matches. ✔

Step 3 — Willingness & awareness. The son keeps answering for him, and the father looks confused. ✖ You pause, ask the son to step back, and speak directly to the father. If the father still cannot confirm he understands and is signing willingly, you refuse — coercion or incapacity defeats the act.

Step 4 — Document scan. Assume the father reassures you, alert and willing, once the son steps away. The affidavit's jurat has a blank date field — you may not perform a jurat on an incomplete document, so you have him complete it, then sign it in your presence and take the oath aloud. The deed of trust uses an acknowledgment, so he may have pre-signed it; you simply take his acknowledgment.

Step 5 — Journal. You record both acts, get his journal signature, and note the ID and applicable fees. Because the deed of trust affects real property, also obtain his right thumbprint under § 41-254(C) unless a statutory exception applies.

Step 6 — Seal. You seal each certificate in dark ink.

Result: You correctly handled coercion/awareness, an incomplete jurat, and two different act types in one appointment — exactly the layered judgment the exam rewards.