A corporate officer is an agent appointed to conduct business for a corporation. The term commonly refers to a senior executive, such as a president or chief executive officer.
Some states have special rules for notarizing for corporate officers. Alabama, for example, uses specific acknowledgment certificate wording for a person representing a corporation. California prohibits its Notaries from certifying a signer's capacity, so a California Notary cannot notarize certificate wording that states, "I certify John Doe is president of XYZ Incorporated." If a signer wishes to sign specifically in the capacity as a corporate officer, be sure to comply with all applicable state notarial laws.