GUIDING PRINCIPLE 2: NOTARIZATION

The Notary Signing Agent will follow all laws, rules and best practices that apply to the notarizing of closing documents. Standards of Practice

2.1. Standard of Care.  The Notary Signing Agent will exercise reasonable care in the performance of notarial duties generally and will exercise a high degree of care in verifying the identity of any person

Whose identity is the subject of a notarial act.

2.2. Improper Identification. The Notary Signing Agent will not accept an unauthorized identification document or other means of identification as satisfactory evidence of identity in order to expedite the

closing of the transaction or for any other reason, and will ensure that any identification document presented has not expired, unless expressly authorized by law.

2.3. Discrepancies in Names. The Notary Signing Agent will not notarize the signature of a signing party whose name on the document cannot be verified with reasonable certainty by examining a written

identification document or by the oaths of credible witnesses.

2.4. Notary Seal.  The Notary Signing Agent will authenticate each notarial act performed on closing

documents with the NSA’s Notary seal, even if not required by law.

2.5. Seal Misuse. The Notary Signing Agent will not use the NSA’s Notary seal for any purpose other than

performing authorized notarial acts.

2.6. Journal of Notarial Acts. The Notary Signing Agent will record each notarial act performed on closing documents in a journal of notarial acts even if not required by law.

2.7. Notarial Evidence Form. The Notary Signing Agent will complete and promptly return a Notarial Evidence Form for each assignment when requested or required by a lender, title company, closing agent or contracting company.

2.8. Control of Seal and Journal. The Notary Signing Agent will keep the NSA’s Notary seal and journal in a locked and secure area when not in use and not allow any other person to possess or use them. Notary Signing Agent Code of Conduct 9.

2.9. Legibility. The Notary Signing Agent will ensure that the NSA’s handwriting and Notary seal on all

closing documents are legible and photographically reproducible.

2.10. Completion of Notarial Acts. The Notary Signing Agent will complete the notarial acts on all closing documents and the journal entries for the notarizations in the presence of the signer at the appointment when the documents are signed.

2.11. Notary Public Code of Professional Responsibility. The Notary Signing Agent will comply with all standards set forth in The Notary Public Code of Professional Responsibility as adopted and amended by the National Notary Association.

2.12. Undue Cause for Refusal. The Notary Signing Agent will not refuse to perform a notarial act solely because a signer refuses to comply with a practice that is not a legal requirement for notarization in the NSA’s state or jurisdiction.