Notary Public

Preparing for your notary service:

Identification Requirements:
Document signers and witnesses (if required) must bring valid photo identification documents (IDs). Government-issued photo identification is required of any patron seeking notary service. A Staff Notary may decline to notarize a document if the signer cannot provide acceptable ID.

Document to Notarized:
Be sure documents are complete and ready for signature. Certain notarial acts require the signer to sign in the presence of a notary. Staff Notaries will not notarize any document with blank spaces and are prohibited from helping you to prepare, complete, or understand legal documents.

Signers and Witnesses:
Document signers must be present at the time of notarization. The Library will not provide witnesses and witnesses may not be solicited from patrons using the Library.

Guidelines:
Read the Guidelines below in full to ensure that your document is eligible for notary service by a Library Notary.

Questions?
Call 908-273-0350 and ask to speak to a Staff Notary.

Notary Public Service Policy:
Consistent with its vision that the Summit Free Public Library will be a destination vital to the fabric of the community, the Summit Free Public Library offers notary services for the benefit of its patrons. The Board of Trustees of the Summit Free Public Library adopted the following guidelines in connection with the provision of these notary services by Library staff who is commissioned as a notary (“Library Notary”).

1. The service is based on the availability of the Library Notary. Unforeseen circumstances may sometimes result in a pre-scheduled appointment with a Library Notary to be cancelled.
2. Valid photo identification is required of any patron seeking notary service.
3. Notary service is limited to three documents per person, per day.
4. Since New Jersey law requires that a notary and the customer seeking notarization be able to communicate directly with each other, Library Notaries are NOT permitted to make use of a translator to communicate with a notary service customer.
5. Under applicable New Jersey law, the notaries at the Summit Free Public Library may not notarize:
   1. Documents in any language other than English. 
   2. Certain public documents cannot be copied and notarized. Examples of these are: birth certificates, death certificates and marriage certificates.
   3. Deeds, wills, living wills, living trusts, codicils, depositions, adoptions, mortgages or other real estate closing documents.
   4. Any copy of a document. Only original documents may be notarized.
6. In accordance with governing New Jersey Law, Notaries will not provide service if the customer, documents or circumstances of the request for Notary Service raise any issue of authenticity, ambiguity, doubt or uncertainty for the Library. In this event, the Library Notary may, at his/her sole discretion, decline to provide Notary Service.
7. The library will not provide witnesses and witnesses may not be solicited from patrons using the library. In order to serve as a witness, the witness must personally know the person whose document is being notarized and must be in possession of valid photo identification.
8. Notary services will be provided at no charge to Summit residents. There will be a charge of $1.00 per notarization for out-of-towners.

Approved by Board of Trustees September 2019