A notary public is a person approved by the state to check identity and watch people sign important papers. Notarization helps prevent fraud.
The notary must be neutral. A person who benefits from your document usually should not notarize it. In many states, a beneficiary or a party to the document may not be allowed to notarize. Even if a notary disagrees with what the document says, the notary can still notarize the document.
Each state has it's own requirements, so ask a local notary for information specific to your situation. Here are some example tasks that are often useful to do before your appointment:
Do not sign early unless your form instructions clearly say you can.
Most notarized forms must be signed in front of the notary.
Massachusetts law allows remote online notarization, but the state says notaries should not use remote platforms yet.
For now, in-person notarization is usually the best option in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts law uses both “justices of the peace” and “notaries public” in the same chapter. In daily use, most people still ask for a notary public.
Massachusetts gives guidance on where to find a notary, including city and town halls, courts, banks, law offices, and pharmacies.
This is the American Society of Notaries page for how to become a notary in Massachusetts.
If you want the legal text, use these links. Most people do not need to read statutes before getting a document notarized.
Continue to filing guidance after your forms are notarized.
How to file a court formNotary guide overview