Florida Notary Public Updates

Many notaries wonder whether they should notarize a document for a minor, and if so, how to go about it. 

Completing notarial acts for a minor does not change any of the fundamentals of your job. Florida law does not specify an age limit for notarizing a document for a minor. It does, however, require that you follow the same guidelines as you would for any other notarization.

Personal Appearance

Personal appearance is still required for a notarial act involving a minor. A parent cannot sign for the minor, and they cannot try to identify the minor for you. The minor must be physically present in front of you at the time of the act.

Proper Identification

Proper identification of a minor is the area many notaries encounter a problem. You must still adhere to Florida law regarding acceptable forms of identification. If the minor does not possess any valid ID, credible witnesses can be used.

You can either have one credible witness who personally knows the notary and the minor, or you can have two credible witnesses who do not know the notary, but personally know the minor and can provide sufficient proof of their identity to the notary public.

Establish Understanding and Willingness to Sign

The notary public should still establish the minor can read and understand the contents of the document, as well as the repercussions of signing it. Since Florida does not specify a minimum age for a signer, it is up to the notary's discretion to determine whether the minor comprehends what is happening. The notary should also be sure the minor is not being coerced into signing the document. Under no circumstances can the parent or legal guardian sign on the minor's behalf. If the parent is signing, then they are the named person on the notarial act, and you will complete the notarial act for them, not the minor.

By following the same rules and procedures as you would for any other notarial act, you can ensure you are not missing any steps, and that you will complete a valid notarization for the minor.

If you need to brush up on the type of identification considered valid or the proper steps to complete a notarial act, refer to your Florida Notary Handbook or call our Customer Care team at 800-385-7019.