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A notary commission comes with real authority, and real limits. North Carolina's Notary Public Act spells out several things a notary who isn't also a licensed attorney cannot do, and understanding them matters for two reasons: it keeps your clients safe from bad advice, and it keeps your commission out of trouble. You Cannot Practice Law A notary who is not a licensed North Carolina attorney cannot assist someone in drafting, completing, selecting, or explaining the legal me

Most notary complaints and disciplinary actions don't come from dramatic fraud, they come from small shortcuts taken under time pressure. Here are five mistakes that show up again and again, and how to avoid each one. 1. Skipping the Personal Appearance Requirement North Carolina law requires the signer to personally appear before you, outside of an approved remote online notarization session. Notarizing a signature for someone who isn't in front of you, even a family member

Most people picture a notary public as someone who checks an ID, watches you sign, and stamps a seal. That's accurate, but for a lot of North Carolina notaries it's also just the entry point. A notary commission is a credential you can build several different service lines around, each with its own training, rules, and clientele. Here's an overview of the paths North Carolina notaries commonly pursue, and one popular idea that doesn't actually work in this state. Loan Signing