The National Notary Bulletin

Are The Document Date And Notarization Date The Same?

By NNA Staff on January 23, 2020

Does the date of the document have to be the same date as the notarization? — M.C., New York

No, a date on the document does not necessarily have to match the date of the notarization. However, the date on Notary certificate wording must be the same date that the notarization took place.

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 6:30 p.m. PST; Saturday, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.

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7 Comments

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Val Finck

14 Feb 2020

I entered DL numbers in my journal. I’m in Texas and just read you cannot record ID numbers. How do I correct this?

National Notary Association

14 Feb 2020

Based on what you’ve described, we think it would be best if you contacted our Hotline team by phone and provided them with a more detailed description of the situation. The NNA Hotline: 1-888-876-0827 Mon – Fri: 5:00 a.m. – 7:00 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.

Candy Huffine

08 Nov 2021

On the Notaries seal can they put day, month then the year or should it be Month, day, year?

National Notary Association

09 Nov 2021

Based on what you’ve described, we think it would be best if you contacted our Hotline team by phone and provided them with a more detailed description of the situation. The NNA Hotline: 1-888-876-0827 Mon – Fri: 5:00 a.m. – 7:00 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.

Ruth Reed

18 Sep 2022

State of Illinois. Does the signature date and notarization date have to be the same?

National Notary Association

26 Sep 2022

Hello. It depends on what type of notarial act the signer is requesting. For example, a signature being acknowledged can be signed prior to appearing before the Notary. If a jurat is requested, the signer must sign the document in the Notary's presence.

Marie Hall

04 Jan 2023

I am wondering in the case that a notaries stamp and signature are on a different page than the date, as well as the signer, is it a valid document? There is no other information on that page aside from the notary stamp and their signature.

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