Florida Notary Public Updates

The answer is yes. At some point in your career, you may have to refuse a notarization due to certain circumstances. Florida law requires that a notary should refuse a notarization under the following circumstances:

• The document is incomplete or blank (not filled out)
• The signer is not present
• The notary is also the signer
• The signer is related to the notary (parent, child, spouse or sibling)
• The notary is a party on the document or could benefit from it financially
• The document is not in English, the signer does not speak English and there is no translator available
• The signer does not have proper identification and the notary does not personally know the signer
• The signer is mentally incapacitated
• The signer refuses to sign the document
• The signer does not know what type of notarial act is required and there is no notarial certificate prepared on the document.
• The signer appears to be intoxicated, sedated or disoriented.
• The notary suspects that the document is illegal, forged or deceptive.

As with all types of work, if you are sick, you should not witness a signing. It is up to the notary to make the final decision regarding a notarization. Use your best judgment and notarize when these circumstances have not been met.