Notary Services

What Do I Need to Bring?

• Bring all pages of the document that needs to be notarized
  • If you need to print out your documents, please complete this task prior to meeting with our notary.
  • Bring original documents for copy certification notarial acts.
• Fill in all the areas on the document that require your information, leaving no blank spaces EXCEPT for the section that requires signatures, notary seal, and date.
  • Documents that are already signed cannot be notarized.
  • For acknowledgements ONLY – can be signed prior to appearing before a notary.
• A witness or witnesses, if required by your document. We will not provide witnesses and witnesses may not be solicited from patrons using the library.
• A valid, unexpired state ID, federal ID, or other government ID with signature and photos (such as a driver’s license, state ID card, US military ID, tribal ID, or US passport; a picture of IDs will not be accepted)
• Note: In accordance with Missouri Notarial Law (Section 486.700, RSMo), the notary will ask you to sign their Notary Public Record Book. Service for customers who decline to sign the record book will not be provided.

Are There Documents the Library Cannot Notarize?

• Documents that are already signed* (The notary public must witness signatures; *Except for acknowledgements which can be signed prior to appearing before a notary)
• Documents that are not in English
• Electronic or remote online notarization
• Incomplete documents or documents with blank spaces other than the space for signature and date
• Government Form I-9
  • Notaries also cannot provide an Apostille (a form that certifies the authenticity of a document that is issued in one country to be used and considered valid in another).
• Employment eligibility verification
• Vital records – Birth, death, marriage, or divorce certificates and citizenship or naturalization certificates. You must request a certified copy from the county clerk, local registrar, or state Department of Public Health/Vital Records.
• School records – Only the school registrar has the authority to provide certified copies of student records. They must have a school seal and a tamper proof envelope, so these must be requested directly from your school.
• Military IDs or government common access cards (CAC)
• IRS tax returns – The IRS can provide certified copies of tax returns or a free tax transcript.
• Documents of conveyance of real estate, mortgages, other real estate loans, documents or transactions or property transfers, including but not limited to refinancing or other types of real estate loans, purchases, sales, and beneficial interests in land trusts.
• Apostilles – a form that certifies that a document that is issued in one country to be used and considered valid in another country.
• Notary Service is NOT available for codicils, depositions, or documents being signed by someone acting as power of attorney or executor. These types of documents can require technical or legal knowledge that is beyond the scope of this free service.

Other Things to Know

• Missouri law regulates notaries. We will not notarize documents that do not follow such laws and regulations.
• Notaries will not prepare or complete documents for you, nor can they give legal advice on a matter.
• Law requires that a notary and the patron seeking notarization be able to communicate directly with each other. Our notary is not permitted to make use of a translator.
• If we cannot notarize your document, we suggest checking with your local bank, office store, print shop, or parcel shipper as they may be able to help!