How to Notarize a Document in Massachusetts: Step by Step

The short answer

To notarize a document in Massachusetts, you meet a commissioned notary public in person with the completed but unsigned document and a current photo ID. You tell the notary which notarial act the document needs, sign when the notary asks, and the notary completes the certificate, signs it, applies the official stamp and records the act in the notary journal. The process is short. What causes trouble is preparation: the wrong act, a missing signer, a name that doesn't match the ID or a blank left on the page. A mobile notary who comes to you removes the travel and leaves you free to focus on getting those details right.

What a notary does, and doesn't do

A notary is an impartial officer commissioned by the Commonwealth. At a notarization, the notary confirms who you are, that you understand what you are signing and that you are signing willingly, and then certifies what took place. The notary does not decide whether the document is legally sound, whether its contents are true, or whether you should sign it. Questions about the effect of a will, a power of attorney or a contract belong with the attorney who drafted it. See what a Massachusetts notary can and cannot do.

Step 1: Identify the notarial act your document needs

Massachusetts law, M.G.L. c. 222, § 1, defines four notarial acts. Knowing which one you need is the single biggest step toward getting it right the first time.

If your document already has a notarial certificate printed on it, its wording tells the notary which act to perform. If there is no certificate, the signer chooses the act, and the notary attaches a matching Massachusetts certificate. A notary can explain the options but cannot pick one for you. When you are unsure, ask the bank, court, school, agency or consulate that asked for the notarization; they can usually answer in one sentence. For the differences in detail, see acknowledgment vs. jurat.

Copy certification has limits. A notary cannot certify copies of vital records such as birth, marriage and death certificates, court records or recorded deeds; those certified copies come from the office that holds the record. See can a notary certify a copy in Massachusetts?

Step 2: Prepare the document

• Fill in every blank. A notary may decline a document with empty spaces, because a blank can be filled in after the notarization. Write "N/A" where a field doesn't apply.
• Don't sign yet. For a jurat or a signature witnessing, you must sign in front of the notary. For an acknowledgment, waiting is still the safest choice.
• Check the names. The name on the document should match the name on your ID. A different middle name, a maiden name or a missing hyphen can cause problems; sort it out before the appointment.
• Bring every page, in order. A notarial certificate belongs to the whole document, not a single loose page.
• Arrange any translation early. If a document in another language will be used in the United States, the receiving office may want a certified English translation, which we provide in more than 65 languages.

Step 3: Bring acceptable ID and every signer

Every person whose signature will be notarized must appear in person. A spouse, adult child or assistant cannot sign or appear for someone else, and a notary cannot notarize a signature from a photo, a video call or a phone conversation.

Massachusetts requires "satisfactory evidence of identity." In practice, that means a current, government-issued photo ID with your signature, such as a driver's license, state ID card or passport; a current foreign passport works for non-citizens. Expired IDs, photocopies and pictures of an ID on a phone do not. If you have no current ID, a credible witness who knows you and is known to the notary may be an option, so call us first. See Massachusetts notary ID requirements.

Some documents also need witnesses who are separate from the notary. A Massachusetts will, for example, needs two witnesses, and its self-proving affidavit is notarized. Check with the attorney who prepared the document so the witnesses arrive with you. See Massachusetts witness requirements.

A signer who cannot write because of a stroke, paralysis or injury can still sign. Massachusetts allows a signature by mark with two witnesses. See signature by mark in Massachusetts.

Step 4: Meet the notary and complete the act

1. The notary reviews your ID and compares the name with the document.
2. The notary confirms that you understand the document and are signing of your own free will. You should never feel rushed or pressured, and a notary will stop if something seems wrong.
3. For an acknowledgment, you confirm that the signature is yours and was made voluntarily. For a jurat, you take an oath or affirmation and then sign. For a signature witnessing, you simply sign while the notary watches.
4. The notary records the act in the official journal, which every Massachusetts notary has been required to keep since 2017. You will usually sign the journal as well. See Massachusetts notary journal requirements.
5. The notary completes the certificate, signs it and applies the official stamp.

Step 5: Check the certificate before the notary leaves

Take one minute to read the finished certificate. It can save you a rejected filing weeks later.

• Venue: the county and state where you signed, such as Suffolk County for Boston or Middlesex County for Cambridge and Newton.
• Date: the day you actually appeared.
• Act: the wording matches the act the document requires.
• Names: spelled exactly as on the document and your ID.
• Signature and stamp: both present, complete and legible, with the commission expiration date.

If anything is wrong, ask for the correction on the spot. That is much easier than tracking the notary down later, and it matters even more for documents going abroad. See notarial certificate review for apostilles.

Mobile notarization

The traditional route is a bank or shipping store during business hours, which can be harder than the notarization itself. A hospital patient can't travel, a family has several signers with different schedules, or the deadline falls on a weekend. A mobile notary meets you at your home, office, hospital, rehabilitation facility or hotel at a time that works for you. We are available 24 hours a day across Greater Boston, including hospital and bedside appointments, estate plan signings and loan signings.

Is online notarization available in Massachusetts?

Not yet. Massachusetts passed a permanent remote online notarization law in 2023, but notaries cannot offer it until the Secretary of the Commonwealth finalizes the regulations and approves the technology platforms. For now, a Massachusetts notarization happens in person. See remote online notary in Massachusetts for the current status.

When the document is going abroad

For a document that will be used in another country, notarization is often only the first step. The destination country decides what comes next. Countries in the Hague Apostille Convention accept an apostille, while other countries require authentication and embassy legalization. For a Massachusetts notarization, the apostille or certificate is issued by the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, which confirms the notary's signature and commission. We prepare the documents, handle the submission and return them with tracking anywhere in the world. See Massachusetts apostille services and apostille vs. authentication vs. embassy legalization.

Mistakes that force people to start over

• Signing ahead of time when the act requires signing in front of the notary.
• A missing signer. One absent party stops the notarization for that document.
• An ID problem: expired, a photocopy, or a name that doesn't match the document.
• The wrong act, such as an acknowledgment when the receiving office wanted a jurat.
• Blank spaces left in the document.
• Asking a relative who is a notary. A Massachusetts notary may not notarize for a spouse or close family member.
• Forgetting the destination. A document notarized without thinking about its end use may not qualify for the apostille the foreign office requires.

How we help

Boston Mobile Notary & Apostille Service is a mobile notary service for Boston and Greater Boston. Tell us what the document is, where it is going and when you need it, and we will meet you where you are. For documents headed abroad, one team handles the full chain: notarization, apostille or authentication, certified translation, embassy legalization and tracked worldwide return. Every quote is personalized to the documents, the location and the timing; see what affects the cost of a mobile notary. Law firms and companies can open a business account with consolidated invoicing.