2023 Michigan Compiled Laws › Chapter 55 - Notaries Public › Act 238 of 2003 - Michigan Law on Notarial Acts (55.261 - 55.315) › Section 55.285 - Performance of Notarial Acts; Scope; Verification.

55.285 Performance of notarial acts; scope; verification.
Sec. 25.
(1) A notary public may perform notarial acts that include, but are not limited to, the following:
(a) Taking acknowledgments.
(b) Administering oaths and affirmations.
(c) Witnessing or attesting to a signature.
(2) In taking an acknowledgment, the notary public shall determine, either from personal knowledge or from satisfactory evidence, that the individual in the presence of the notary public and making the acknowledgment is the individual whose signature is on the record.
(3) In taking a verification upon oath or affirmation, the notary public shall determine, either from personal knowledge or from satisfactory evidence, that the individual in the presence of the notary public and making the verification is the individual whose signature is on the record being verified.
(4) In witnessing or attesting to a signature, the notary public shall determine, either from personal knowledge or from satisfactory evidence, that the signature is that of the individual in the presence of the notary public and is the individual named in the record.
(5) In all matters where the notary public takes a verification upon oath or affirmation, or witnesses or attests to a signature, the notary public shall require that the individual sign the record being verified, witnessed, or attested in the presence of the notary public.
(6) A notary public has satisfactory evidence that an individual is the individual whose signature is on a record if that individual is any of the following:
(a) Personally known to the notary public.
(b) Identified upon the oath or affirmation of a credible witness personally known by the notary public and who personally knows the individual.
(c) Identified on the basis of a current license, identification card, or record issued by a federal or state government that contains the individual's photograph and signature.
(d) With regard to a notarial act performed under section 26b, identified and verified through an identity proofing process or service that is part of a remote electronic notarization platform approved under section 26b(1), and the person presents an identity document described in subdivision (c) that is verified through a credential analysis process or service that is part of a remote electronic notarization platform approved under section 26b(1).
(7) The fee charged by a notary public for performing a notarial act shall not be more than $10.00 for any individual transaction or notarial act. A notary public shall either conspicuously display a sign or expressly advise an individual concerning the fee amount to be charged for a notarial act before the notary public performs the act. Before the notary public commences to travel in order to perform a notarial act, the notary public and client may agree concerning a separate travel fee to be charged by the notary public for traveling to perform the notarial act.
(8) A notary public may refuse to perform a notarial act.
(9) The secretary shall prescribe the form that a notary public shall use for a jurat, the taking of an acknowledgment, the administering of an oath or affirmation, the taking of a verification upon an oath or affirmation, the witnessing or attesting to a signature, or any other act that a notary public is authorized to perform in this state.
(10) A county clerk may collect a processing fee of $10.00 for certifying a notarial act of a notary public.
History:
2003, Act 238, Eff. Apr. 1, 2004 ;-- Am. 2006, Act 426, Imd. Eff. Oct. 5, 2006 ;-- Am. 2018, Act 330, Eff. Sept. 30, 2018