May I Notarize A Previously Signed Document?

Can I notarize a document that has previously been signed? — K.V., North Carolina

It depends on the type of notarization requested. For an acknowledgment, the document may be previously signed, and the signer must acknowledge to you that he or she signed the document and did so willingly [G.S.10B-3(1)].

However, if you are performing a jurat, the signer must sign the document in your presence. If they already signed the document, have them cross out the prior signature and sign again.

Hotline answers are based on the laws in the state where the question originated and may not reflect the laws of other states. If in doubt, always refer to your own state statutes. – The Editors

Confronted with a tricky notarization? Unsure how to proceed? NNA members have unlimited access to our expertly trained NNA Hotline counselors to help you with all of your notarial questions. Call 1-888-876-0827, Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PST; Saturday, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.

Related Articles:

Notary Essentials: The Difference Between Acknowledgments And Jurats

5 Comments

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Jazmin

30 Jul 2026

I was on a call with a representative and they hung up on me...... please respond ASAP. I work as an New Jersey online notary on a remote notarization platform. Occasionally, customers join the session with documents that have already been signed. In addition, some of these documents do not contain any notarial certificate wording. My platform requires all documents to be electronically signed during the session, which means preexisting signatures are not permitted. Because of this, I usually instruct customers to contact the agency that provided the document and request an unsigned copy. My question is: would it be permissible to use my platform's whiteout or strikeout tool to remove the customer's preexisting signature so that they can sign electronically during the session, or would this be considered an improper alteration of the document? If it is not permissible, is requesting a new unsigned version of the document the correct procedure? I am specifically asking from the perspective of remote online notarization and would appreciate any guidance on best practices in this situation. My platform wants me to use the whiteout and/or strikeout tools, but I am hesitant. I looked into NJ states laws but couldn't find anything in reference to this issue.

National Notary Association

31 Jul 2026

Based on what you’ve described, we think it would be best if you contacted our Hotline team by phone and spoke with them directly for help with your situation. The NNA Hotline: 1-888-876-0827 Mon – Fri: 5:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (PT) Saturday: 5:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (PT) If you’re not an NNA Member or Hotline Subscriber, they will provide you with a one-time courtesy call.

Claudia Reyes

21 Jan 2025

This is good to know, thank you for keeping this information so I didn't have to call NNA for clarification. Some questions might sound too basic but that shouldn't deter someone from asking. Negative comments should be removed from this page.

Matt

11 Aug 2018

if you don't know which type of notarization must be signed before you, then you probably should go back to notary school.

David Wire

06 Aug 2018

Good to know what to do in the case of a pre-signed document needing a jurat. That was never clear before.

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