Florida Notary Basics: True or False
After two weeks of difficulty 9/10, you've earned a breather. This week: 10 true-or-false questions covering identification, oaths, and everyday notary responsibilities. Just the basics. The stamp is watching.
Results
🎉 YOU PASSED!
Your stamp is in capable hands.
You know your notary basics. Go ahead and enjoy this moment.
Please use this newfound confidence responsibly.
😬 WELL. THAT HAPPENED.
Let’s put the stamp down for a minute.
Review the answer explanations, take a breath, and try again.
Maybe notarize.com is hiring.
#1. Florida is one of only six (6) states where the notary can notarize their signature, as long as the notarial act is not an oath.
Florida law prohibits notarizing your own signature. You’ll need another notary, even if you find yourself extremely trustworthy.
#2. A signer must appear before the notary at the time of notarization, either in person or through an authorized online notarization. There are NO exceptions.
The signer must appear through one of these authorized methods. Sending the document with a friend does not count as appearing. Neither does being available “if you need anything.”
#3. An expired Florida driver’s license may be used as identification for notarization as long as it expired during the current calendar year.
Florida permits an otherwise acceptable expired ID if it was issued within the past five years. However, Florida driver’s licenses generally last eight years, or six years for drivers age 80 and older. An expired license that completed its normal term would therefore fall outside that five-year window. Shorter-term or recently reissued licenses may qualify, so check the actual issue date. The expiration date gets the attention. The issue date decides whether this exception applies. Florida Statutes §117.05(5)(b)2
#4. A Florida notary may notarize their spouse’s signature as long as the spouse has valid identification, and the notary HAS NOT changed their name after marriage.
Florida prohibits notarizing a spouse’s signature. Valid identification does not change that. Neither does “but we’re already here.”
#5. The county listed in the notarial certificate should reflect where the notary is located when performing the notarization.
The venue identifies the notary’s location at the time of the act. It is not automatically the signer’s home county or the county where the document will be recorded.
#6. Florida law requires a signer to raise their right hand when a notary administers an oath or affirmation.
Asking the signer to raise their right hand is a best practice that helps emphasize the seriousness of the oath or affirmation, but Florida law does not require the gesture. The notary must still administer the oath or affirmation and receive the signer’s response. Raising a hand alone is just volunteering.
#7. A Florida notary commission lasts five years. Notaries should start their renewal in the 4th year to ensure an uninterrupted commission.
Florida notaries are commissioned for four years. Continuing after expiration requires renewal. The stamp does not renew itself out of loyalty.
#8. If an employer paid for a notary’s commission and seal, the employer gets to keep the seal when the notary leaves the job.
The commission and official seal belong exclusively to the notary, regardless of who paid for them. The employer can keep the office stapler. The red swingline.
#9. A notary must refuse to notarize a signature if the signer appears unable to understand the nature and effect of the document.
Florida prohibits notarization in that situation. A valid ID establishes identity. It does not resolve concerns about the signer’s understanding.
#10. A Florida notary may certify a photocopy of a birth certificate if a certified original is presented.
Birth certificates are vital records. A Florida notary cannot certify copies of them. Obtain a certified copy from the appropriate records office. Owning a copier and a stamp does not make you that office.