What is a Notary Public?

Michigan Department of State
Office of the Great Seal
Notary Public Information

A notary public is an officer commissioned by the Michigan Secretary of State to serve as an unbiased and impartial witness. The most common function of the notary is to prevent fraud by attesting to the identity of a person signing a document. Notarization on a document certifies that the person whose signature is entered on the document personally appeared before the notary, established his or her identity, and personally signed the document in the presence of the notary.

Every citizen appointed as a notary has a duty to learn the notarial laws on their own initiative. Before a notary performs any notarial act, the notary is required to read the Notary Public Act, 2003 PA 238 (MCL 55.261, et seq.) An electronic copy of the Act may be found on the Legislature's Web site at www.legislature.mi.gov

There are over 127,000 notaries public currently commissioned in the State of Michigan.