Every day in Philadelphia, thousands of people sign important papers. Maybe you’re buying a house, transferring a car to someone, getting a power of attorney, or signing a will. These documents can change your life, so it’s crucial that the signatures are authentic and properly witnessed. That’s where notaries come in – and that’s why Pennsylvania state law requires notaries who have an office in Philadelphia to register with our Department of Records, which serves as Philadelphia’s Recorder of Deeds.
What is a notary?
A notary public is an official witness for important documents. Notaries are public officials who play a vital role in commerce and are on the front lines of deterring document fraud. When you sign something important, a notary checks your ID, watches you sign the paper, and puts their official seal on it. This assures the receiver of the document that the notary performed their official duties.
There are more than 85,000 commissioned notaries in Pennsylvania. Right here in Philadelphia, thousands of notaries help residents every day with important life events.
What notaries do to protect you
Notaries check your identity before you sign anything. They watch you actually sign the document with their own eyes, so no one can later claim you didn’t sign it. Their official seal shows the document was properly witnessed. In Pennsylvania, qualified notaries can also notarize your documents remotely using secure online technology, so you don’t always have to meet in person.
Think about it this way: when you buy a house, you might be signing papers worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The notary’s job is to verify your identity and witness your signature, which helps prevent fraud and protects everyone involved.
Why registration matters
Pennsylvania state law requires that notaries public must record their oath of office, completed bond, and commission in the county where they work. In Philadelphia, notaries also register their official signature with the Department of Records.
Because Pennsylvania state law requires notaries to register with us, we create an official record of every real notary in Philadelphia, making it easy for the public to know what notaries are located in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania state law sets the standards, and before we register a notary and administer their oath of office, we check that they have their official notary commission and signed bond.
If a person has a question whether a notary is licensed, they can check our records. If there’s a problem with a notarized document, we have the official documentation about the notary’s commission available to the public or investigators.
A system that works for everyone
The notary registration system works like a network that connects state oversight with local communities. The state of Pennsylvania sets the rules and standards for who can be a notary. But each county keeps track of the notaries who work in their area. This creates a system that’s both well-supervised and easy to access.
Think of it like this: the state makes sure all notaries meet the same high standards, while local offices like ours make sure you can easily find and verify the notaries in your neighborhood. This balance gives you the best of both worlds – strong oversight and local convenience.
When notaries register with the Philadelphia Department of Records, it creates a safety net that protects everyone. The system makes sure notary credentials are properly checked and easily available to the communities where notaries work. The next time you need something notarized, you can feel confident knowing that Philadelphia’s notary registration system is working behind the scenes to keep you safe.
For more information about notary services in Philadelphia call the Department of Records at (215) 686-1483 or email notaries.info@phila.gov.
