Becoming a notary public can be a great way to increase your marketability as an employee and make a few extra dollars working from home. Notaries are responsible for certifying that the signatures on certain documents are authentic. Since many of these documents serve as legally binding contracts, the role of a notary is essential and shouldn't be taken lightly.
Once you are certified as a notary public, you will be able to purchase a stamp containing the information required to authenticate the documents you are notarizing. Here are three tips that you can use to ensure you are able to use your new notary stamp successfully in the future.
1. Practice makes perfect.
Once your new notary stamp arrives, you should spend some time practicing on a blank sheet of paper. Learning the correct amount of pressure to place on your stamp will help you avoid heavy stamping that could lead to smearing or bleeding.
Stamping a blank sheet of paper will also allow you to practice positioning the stamp so that the information is easy to read. The last thing you want to do is ruin a client's documents because you are unable to successfully stamp the pages, so practicing your stamping technique can be beneficial.
2. Use a self-inking stamp.
When you make the choice to invest in a self-inking stamp, you ensure that you can easily carry your notary stamp with you at all times. A self-inking stamp regulates the amount of ink placed on the stamp prior to use, and the ink and stamp come in one, compact unit that make the notary stamp more portable.
You can eliminate a lot of the mistakes made by novice notaries when you invest in a self-inking stamp to streamline the notary process.
3. Have more than one stamp on-hand.
To ensure that you are able to notarize many different types of documents, it can be beneficial to have notary stamps in varying sizes. Sometimes a client will bring you documents to notarize that have very little space available for your stamp.
Having notary stamps that feature various font sizes allows you to select the stamp that will easily fit into the space left available. You should become familiar with the space needed for each stamp by practicing on a blank sheet of paper. This will help you easily determine the right stamp to use for each notary job.
Using your notary stamp successfully is an important part of your duties as a notary public. Practice with your stamp, make sure your stamp is self-inking, and invest in stamps of varying sizes to improve your experiences as a notary in the future.
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