Public Services
Acknowledgments
Purpose: To verify that the signer is who they claim to be and that they willingly signed the document for its intended purpose.
Procedure: The signer must personally appear before the notary (in-person), be positively identified, and declare (acknowledge) that the signature on the document is theirs and that they signed it willingly.
Key Detail: The document can be signed before the signer appears before the notary; they just need to acknowledge it as their signature.
Jurats & Oaths/Affirmations
Purpose: To compel the signer to truthfulness. The notary administers an oath (a solemn pledge involving a higher power) or an affirmation (a solemn pledge on personal honor) stating that the contents of the document are true.
Procedure: The signer must sign the document in the notary's presence and then take the oath or affirmation administered by the notary, vouching for the truthfulness or accuracy of the document's contents (like an affidavit or sworn statement). Taking a false oath may result in perjury charges.
Signature witness/copies
Purpose: The notary acts as an impartial witness to the physical act of signing a document.
Procedure: The signer must appear in person before the notary and sign the document while the notary observes. This is distinct from an acknowledgment, which focuses on the signer's declaration of intent.
Purpose: To officially state that a copy of an original document is a true, exact, and complete reproduction.
Procedure: The notary must personally make a photocopy of the original unaltered document and then certify it.
Key Restriction: Missouri notaries CANNOT certify copies of public records or publicly recorded documents. This includes:
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Birth or death certificates
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Marriage licenses or divorce decrees
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School transcripts
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Recorded deeds or mortgages
Any document where a certified copy can be obtained from a government agency.