Notarizing Photographs
| Notarizing Photographs |
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Occasionally, a notary may be asked to “notarize” a photograph. Please be aware that certifying or notarizing photographs is not an authorized notarial act under Florida law. The notary may, however, notarize a person’s signature on a written statement concerning the photograph. For example, if John Doe wants to certify that the person in a particular photograph is John Doe, he could sign a sworn written statement stating that the photograph is of John Doe. The notary could then notarize his signature on that statement in the same way that you notarize any sworn written statement. His statement could be made on the back of the photograph or on a separate paper to be attached to the photograph. Keep in mind that a notary should not certify or attest that the person in the photograph is John Doe. |
Duties of a Notary Public
Notaries are authorized by law to perform six basic duties:
- Administer oaths or affirmations
- Take acknowledgments
- Attest to photocopies of certain documents
- Solemnize marriage
- Verify vehicle identification numbers (VINs)
- Certify the contents of a safe-deposit box
Fee Schedule
These are the maximum fees a notary public may charge for performing notarial acts*
Administering Oaths and Affirmations
$10.00 (per person)
Verifying a Vehicle Identification Number
$20.00
Taking an Acknowledgment
$10.00 (each signature)
Jurats
$10.00 (per person)
Protests
$10.00
Taking Inventory of a Safe-Deposit Box
$10.00
Certified Copy
$10.00 (per copy)
To Solemnize a Marriage (Perform a Marriage Ceremony)
$30.00
Each signature notarized is a notarial act. For example, if two people appear before the Notary and sign a document and an acknowledgment is taken, the fee is $20.00.
*Florida Law (E.S. 28.24 [29], 117.045 and 117.05[2])
