Can I notarize for my half-siblings? — J. S., Florida
Yes, you may, but we would caution you before you do. Florida law says: “A notary public may not notarize a signature on a document if the person whose signature is to be notarized is the spouse, son, daughter, mother, or father of the notary public” (FS 117.107[11]). Notice the statute does not prohibit the Notary from notarizing for siblings or half-siblings.
That said, the caution is that you will need to clarify if you have a financial interest in or are a party to the underlying transaction. This often can be the case when notarizing documents for family members. If this is the case, you may not notarize for the half-sibling (FS 117.107[12]). If you’re not sure, it’s better to be safe and refer the relative to another Notary who’s not related or involved in the transaction.
For information and guidelines on notarizing for relatives in other states, please see our article and video “A guide to notarizing for family members.”
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
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