• The signing of certain legal documents must be witnessed by a notary public. New Jersey has several eligibility requirements that an applicant must meet to become a notary public, including age and residency. An interested person must apply to the Secretary of State of New Jersey and, if appointed, pay a fee.
  
  

Eligibility Requirements

• To apply to become a notary public in New Jersey, a person must be 18 years old or older. The person does not need to be a New Jersey resident, but if he is not, he must reside in an adjoining state, either Delaware, New York, or Pennsylvania. Additionally, if the person is not a New Jersey resident, he must maintain regular employment within the state of New Jersey. Finally, a person will not be eligible if he has ever been convicted of a crime involving dishonesty, such as perjury or fraud, or any offense in the first or second degree.
  
  

Appointment

• If a person meets eligibility requirements, she may be appointed by New Jersey's State Treasurer. Upon appointment, a new notary public must pay a fee of $25 and will be sworn in by the county clerk in the county where she lives. Notary public appointments are renewable every five years, provided the notary continues to meet the eligibility requirements and pays the $25 fee.
  
  Secretary of State
  Department of Treasury
  Division of Commercial Revenue
  Notary Public Unit
  P.O. Box 452
  Trenton, New Jersey 08625
  609-292-9292
  
  

Role of a Notary

• The notary public's role is to be an impartial witness when certain legal documents are signed, including contracts, deeds, mortgages, and wills. A notary public must verify the identity of the person signing the legal document and must administer an oath to the effect of "Do you swear that all information contained in Document 'X,' which you just signed in my presence, is truthful, so help you God?" Every time a notary places his acknowledgment on a signed document, he is affirming that the document was signed in his presence, that he verified the signer's identity, and that the document was signed willingly.
  
  

Notary Services Fee

• A notary public is permitted to charge a fee of $2.50 for each service.
  
  

Limitations on Notary Power

• A notary public is not permitted to affirm any document not signed in her presence, nor may she pre-date any documents. Additionally, a notary public can never give legal advice or prepare legal documents. Most importantly, a notary public should never give her notary stamp to another party to use.