What Is a Florida Notary Public? A Plain-English Guide

If you have ever signed a mortgage, a power of attorney, or a sworn statement, you have probably met a notary public. But most people are surprised to learn how much we are responsible for — and how strict the rules really are.

Under Florida Statute Chapter 117, a notary public is a public officer commissioned by the Governor of Florida to witness signatures, administer oaths, and certify certain documents. We are not lawyers. We do not give legal advice. We are neutral witnesses whose job is to make sure documents are signed properly, by the right person, of their own free will.

What a Florida notary is allowed to do

Florida notaries perform a defined list of acts. The most common ones are:

• Take acknowledgments (you confirm that you signed a document willingly).
• Administer oaths and affirmations (you swear or affirm that what you are saying is true).
• Perform jurats (you sign in front of the notary and swear the contents are true).
• Certify copies of documents that are not public records.
• Solemnize marriage (yes — Florida notaries can officiate weddings).
• Verify VINs on vehicles.

What a notary cannot do

A notary cannot draft legal documents for someone else, give legal advice, or change the wording of a document you bring in. We also cannot notarize a signature if the signer is not physically present (with the narrow exception of Florida Remote Online Notarization, which has its own rules).

Why this matters to you

When you hire a notary, you are paying for accuracy and trust. A small mistake — a missing date, a misspelled name, the wrong notarial certificate — can void the document and force you to do everything over. After 20 years of mobile notary work across Florida, my job is to make sure that does not happen to you.