When a person takes a document to a notary public to have it notarized, the notary will stamp and sign the document to confirm that the document is genuine. A power of attorney is a legal document that a person creates to give another person the power to make decisions for him in case he is unable to make decisions. Taking a power of attorney to be notarized affirms that the document is real.
Step 1
Have an attorney draft a power of attorney for you. Powers of attorney are important documents because they allow another person to make decisions with important ramifications, in many cases legal ramifications, to make decisions in your stead. As a result, it is generally a good idea to have an attorney draft your power of attorney. Health care powers of attorney and medical powers of attorney are common types of powers of attorney.
Step 2
Locate a notary public. Search for a notary public using your preferred search engine or the local yellow pages. Many banks, AAA locations, attorneys, UPS stores and FedEx Office locations have notaries on site. Call the location beforehand to find out if the notary will notarize your documents and how much will be charged as a fee for the notary services. In many cases the fee for a notary is between $2 and $5.
Step 3
Take your unsigned power of attorney to the notary. It is important that the document is unsigned when you take it to the notary. The notary is affirming that the document is genuine and that you signed it in her presence.
Step 4
Sign the power of attorney in front of the notary. Once you sign the document, the notary will stamp the document, sign it and date it. Once this has occurred, pay the appropriate fee and take your power of attorney document. It is now notarized.
References
Writer Bio
Hal Bartle has been writing professionally since 2009. He has been published on various websites. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Saint Joseph's University and a Juris Doctor from Duquesne University School of Law.