You cannot notarize your own signature in any U.S. state

A notary public cannot notarize a document they sign themselves. Every state's notary law forbids it. The rule exists because a notary's job is to verify that the person signing is who they claim to be and that they are signing willingly — you cannot do that for yourself. If you try, the notarization is invalid, and the document will not be accepted by banks, courts, or government offices.

This is one of the most common questions notaries get, usually from people trying to save time or money. The answer is always no, with no exceptions for special circumstances. If you need a document notarized, you must use a different notary — someone with no stake in the document and no personal connection to it.

Key Takeaways

  • Every state prohibits notaries from notarizing their own signature, and doing so makes the notarization invalid and worthless.
  • The notary's role is to confirm your identity and that you are signing freely, which is impossible if you are the one signing.
  • If you are a notary and need a document notarized, you must find a different notary to do it.
  • Banks, courts, and government offices will reject a document notarized by the person who signed it.

Why notaries cannot notarize themselves

A notary's legal duty is to witness the signing and verify the signer's identity. That verification has to come from someone outside the transaction — someone with no personal interest in whether the document gets signed or what it says. If you notarize your own signature, you are both the signer and the witness, which defeats the entire purpose.

The rule also prevents fraud. If notaries could notarize their own documents, someone could forge a signature, notarize it themselves, and create a false record that looks official. The law closes that door by requiring an independent notary.

What happens if you try to notarize your own document

If you sign a document and then notarize it yourself, the notarization is void. Any institution that receives it — a bank, a court, a government agency — will reject it. You will have wasted the time and the notary fee, and you will have to start over with a different notary.

In some cases, the institution will straightforward refuse to process the document. In others, they may flag it as a red flag for fraud, which can slow down your transaction or raise questions about your intent. It is far simpler to find another notary from the start.

How to find a notary if you need one

If you need a document notarized, your options are straightforward. Many banks offer notary services free to customers during business hours — call ahead to confirm they have a notary on staff and what documents they can notarize. Some will notarize documents unrelated to banking.

Law offices, title companies, and real estate agencies almost always have notaries available. UPS Store locations and some FedEx offices offer notary services for a small fee, usually between $5 and $15 per signature. Online notary services are also available in most states, though they require you to verify your identity through video and may have restrictions on what types of documents they can notarize.

If you are a notary yourself, you can ask a colleague or another notary in your area to notarize your document. Many notaries are willing to do this as a professional courtesy, though they may charge a standard fee.

Special situations: notaries and their own documents

Being a notary does not change the rule. If you hold a notary commission, you still cannot notarize documents you sign. This applies even if you are notarizing in your professional capacity — for example, a real estate agent who is also a notary cannot notarize the deed on their own sale.

The only exception is if you are notarizing a document in your official capacity as a government employee or officer, and the document itself is part of your official duties. For example, a county clerk might notarize a certification of a public record they issued. But this is rare and applies only to specific government roles, not to private notaries.

Documents that commonly need notarization

Power of attorney forms, affidavits, and real estate deeds almost always require notarization. Loan documents, adoption papers, and some medical directives may also need it. Check with the institution requesting the document — they will tell you whether notarization is required and what type of notary verification they need.

Some documents require what is called a certified copy, which is different from a notarized signature. A certified copy is a photocopy of an original document that a notary or government official has verified as a true copy. The rules for who can certify a copy are slightly different from the rules for notarizing a signature, but the same principle applies: the person certifying cannot be the person who created or signed the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a notary notarize a document they wrote but did not sign?

No. A notary cannot notarize any document they have a personal or financial interest in, whether they signed it or not. If you wrote a will or contract and need it notarized, you must use a different notary. The notary needs to be completely independent from the transaction.

What if I am a notary and I need my own document notarized?

Find another notary to do it. You can ask a colleague, contact your local notary association for a referral, or use a public notary service. Many notaries exchange this kind of favor with each other, though you may be charged a standard fee.

Will a bank accept a document I notarized myself?

No. Banks and all other institutions will reject it. The notarization is invalid because you cannot verify your own identity or confirm that you signed willingly. You will need to have it notarized by someone else.

Can I notarize a document for a family member?

Yes, as long as you are a notary and you did not sign the document yourself. You can notarize documents for spouses, children, parents, or anyone else. The rule is only that you cannot notarize your own signature.

Does an online notary have the same rule?

Yes. Online notaries also cannot notarize their own signature. The process is different — you verify your identity through video instead of in person — but the legal rule is the same. You must use a different notary, whether online or in person.