§1044a — Title 10 Armed Forces | U.S. Code

Summary

Certain military and related people can act like a notary public and a U.S. consul to notarize documents for service members, people eligible for military legal help, those serving with or near the armed forces overseas, and people under military law outside the United States. Those who can do this include judge advocates (military lawyers), civilian legal assistance attorneys, adjutants and personnel adjutants (including reserves when not on duty), other service members if their branch or the law says so, designated military or Coast Guard employees for work overseas, and civilian paralegals at military legal offices. They must not take a fee, and their signature with their job title is accepted as proof they are real and authorized to notarize.

Title 10, §1044a

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The persons named in subsection (b) have the general powers of a notary public and of a consul of the United States in the performance of all notarial acts to be executed by any of the following:

(1)Members of any of the uniformed services.

(2)Other persons eligible for legal assistance under the provisions of section 1044 of this title or regulations of the Department of Defense.

(3)Persons serving with, employed by, or accompanying the armed forces outside the United States and outside the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.

(4)Other persons subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (chapter 47 of this title) outside the United States.

(b)Persons with the powers described in subsection (a) are the following:

(1)All judge advocates, including reserve judge advocates when not in a duty status.

(2)All civilian attorneys serving as legal assistance attorneys.

(3)All adjutants, assistant adjutants, and personnel adjutants, including reserve members when not in a duty status.

(4)All other members of the uniformed services, including reserve members when not in a duty status, who are designated by regulations of the uniformed services or by statute to have those powers.

(5)For the performance of notarial acts at locations outside the United States, all employees of a military department or the Coast Guard who are designated by regulations of the Secretary concerned or by statute to have those powers for exercise outside the United States.

(6)All civilian paralegals serving at military legal assistance offices, supervised by a military legal assistance counsel (as defined in section 1044d(g) of this title).

(c)No fee may be paid to or received by any person for the performance of a notarial act authorized in this section.

(d)The signature of any such person acting as notary, together with the title of that person’s offices, is prima facie evidence that the signature is genuine, that the person holds the designated title, and that the person is authorized to perform a notarial act.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2020—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 116–259, § 205(b)(1)(A), substituted “uniformed services” for “armed forces”. Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 116–259, § 205(b)(1)(B), substituted “uniformed services” for “armed forces” in two places. 2016—Subsec. (b)(6). Pub. L. 114–328 added par. (6). 2001—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 107–107, § 1103(a), substituted “legal assistance attorneys” for “legal assistance officers”. Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 107–107, § 1103(b), added par. (5). 1996—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 104–201, § 573(1), substituted “, including reserve judge advocates when not in a duty status” for “on active duty or performing inactive-duty training”. Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 104–201, § 573(2), substituted “adjutants, including reserve members when not in a duty status” for “adjutants on active duty or performing inactive-duty training”. Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 104–201, § 573(3), substituted “members of the armed forces, including reserve members when not in a duty status,” for “persons on active duty or performing inactive-duty training”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see section 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

§1044a Authority to act as notary