NOTARY PUBLIC

A notary public is a person who can serve as an official witness to the execution (signing) of contracts, agreements, and an almost limitless array of legal documents. A notary may also certify documents to be true copies of the original.  Notarization simply refers to an official act of a Notary. A notary also has the authority to administer oaths, solemn affirmations, and declarations that are used for affidavits and statutory declarations. Please note that you must sign in the physical presence of the Notary for her to notarize your signature.

Having documents signed before a notary provides assurance to others that that particular person signed the document. In the modern era, when contracts are routinely entered into between parties thousands of kilometres apart, notaries perform a useful function removing some of the risk associated with such remotely executed agreements. In essence, it makes it more difficult for a party to a contract to assert that she/he did not sign the document later.