PORTAGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
NOTARY SERVICES
A notary public is a responsible person appointed by the state to witness the signing of important documents. They are an impartial witness that verifies that the signers of documents are who they say they are.
Please keep in mind:
- Notary public service is provided at no charge by authorized library staff and on library premises only.
- Notary services are usually available Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Patrons seeking notary service should schedule an appointment. Notary services are a courtesy provided by the library and not the notary’s primary duty; therefore, walk-in notary requests may be asked to wait while the notary attends to other tasks.
- Signing the Notary Public Logbook when receiving notary services is required.
- A valid photo ID with a signature is required. A current driver’s license or passport is recommended.
- Do NOT sign your documents in advance. All documents need to be signed in the presence of a notary. The document should be filled out prior to meeting with the notary, leaving no blanks other than signature and notary statement. Documents must contain a notarial certificate, which is the pre-printed statement for notary to fill in. The notary will not decide or advise what certificate to use.
- Documents in any language other than English will not be notarized. In addition, the notary must be able to communicate directly with the person signing.
- Notaries are regulated by the Wisconsin Notary Laws and will not notarize documents that do not follow such laws and regulations. Notaries are not authorized to prepare or complete documents for others, nor give legal advice on any matter relating to a document. Notary service is not guaranteed. Notaries will not provide service if the patron’s document or circumstances of the request for notary service raise any issues of authenticity, ambiguity, doubt, or uncertainty for the library.
- Copy certification is NOT available for vital records, which include certificates of birth, death, divorce, annulment, marriage, etc. Library notaries will not take depositions or execute protests.
- If your document requires witnesses as well as your own signature and notarization, please bring with you a sufficient number of people willing to serve as your witness. In order to serve as a witness, the witness must personally know the individual whose document is being notarized and must be in possession of valid photo identification. (Library staff cannot act as a witness.)
- Having a document notarized does not verify that the information in the document is true or legal, it only verifies that the notary has witnessed the signature of the person signing and has verified their identification.