I have my name on my Florida Notary listed as “Betty Jean Smith.” Am I able to sign as “Betty Smith” instead of signing my full name during a notarization? — B.S., Florida
No. You must in the name in which you are commissioned. If your commission name is “Betty Jean Smith” on your commission certificate, that is the name that you will sign when notarizing documents.
“A notary public may not use a name or initial in signing certificates other than that by which the notary public is commissioned” (FS 117.107[1]).
Notaries in all states should always sign their names during notarizations exactly as the name appears on the Notary commission. For more information, please see our article on how to notarize a document in five steps.
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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