A notary public is a public official appointed by the state to certify the authenticity of signatures and copies of documents, to administer oaths and affirmations, and to perform other such acts as are allowed or required by law.
This official serve the public as an impartial witness. Since notary public’s are administered by his/her state, the procedures and requirements for becoming a notary public is different in other states. In most cases, an individual submits an application to be reviewed by the Secretary of State. In some states, an exam is required. Applicants who are approved by the state are sworn in as notaries public to serve for a specified period of time. A notary public does not have the authority to carry out his duties in any state but that in which he was appointed.
Because a notary is a public official, he or she is obligated to serve all persons who request lawful notarial acts during normal business hours.
A notary is not commissioned for the personal convenience of any one employer. Basically, the most important reason for notarizing anything is to protect against fraud.