Title 57, NOTARIES PUBLIC

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts.

The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Acknowledgment." A declaration by an individual before a notarial officer that: (1) the individual has signed a record …

This chapter applies to a notarial act performed on or after the effective date of this chapter.

(a) Permitted.--A notarial officer may perform a notarial act authorized by this chapter or by statutory provision other than this chapter. (b) Prohibited.-- (1) A notarial officer may not perform a notarial act with respect to a record in which the notarial officer or the notari…

(a) Acknowledgments.--A notarial officer who takes an acknowledgment of a record shall determine, from personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence of the identity of the individual, all of the following: (1) The individual appearing before the notarial officer and making the ackn…

If a notarial act relates to a statement made in or a signature executed on a record, the individual making the statement or executing the signature shall appear personally before the notarial officer. Cross References. Section 306 is referred to in sections 306.1, 315 of this ti…

(a) General rule.--A remotely located individual may comply with section 306 (relating to personal appearance required) by appearing before a notary public by means of communication technology. (b) Use of communication technology.--A notary public located in this Commonwealth may…

(a) Personal knowledge.--A notarial officer has personal knowledge of the identity of an individual appearing before the notarial officer if the individual is personally known to the notarial officer through dealings sufficient to provide reasonable certainty that the individual …

(a) Specific refusal.--A notarial officer may refuse to perform a notarial act if the notarial officer is not satisfied that: (1) the individual executing the record is competent or has the capacity to execute the record; (2) the individual's signature is knowingly and voluntaril…

(a) Eligible individuals.--A notarial act may be performed in this Commonwealth by any of the following: (1) A judge of a court of record. (2) A clerk, prothonotary or deputy prothonotary or deputy clerk of a court having a seal. (3) Any of the following: (i) A recorder of deeds.…

(a) Effect.--A notarial act performed in another state has the same effect under the law of this Commonwealth as if performed by a notarial officer of this Commonwealth if the act performed in that state is performed by any of the following: (1) A notary public of that state. (2)…

(a) Effect.--A notarial act performed under the authority and in the jurisdiction of a federally recognized Indian tribe has the same effect as if performed by a notarial officer of this Commonwealth if the act performed in the jurisdiction of the tribe is performed by any of the…

(a) Effect.--A notarial act performed under Federal law has the same effect under the law of this Commonwealth as if performed by a notarial officer of this Commonwealth if the act performed under Federal law is performed by any of the following: (1) A judge, clerk or deputy cler…

(a) (Reserved). (b) Effect.-- (1) This subsection applies to a notarial act: (i) performed under authority and in the jurisdiction of a foreign state or constituent unit of the foreign state; or (ii) performed under the authority of a multinational or international governmental o…

(a) Requirements.-- (1) A notarial act shall be evidenced by a certificate. (2) Regardless of whether the notarial officer is a notary public, the certificate must: (i) be executed contemporaneously with the performance of the notarial act; (ii) be signed and dated by the notaria…

The following short form certificates of notarial acts are sufficient for the purposes indicated if completed with the information required by section 315(a) and (b) (relating to certificate of notarial act): (1) For an acknowledgment in an individual capacity: This record was ac…

The following shall apply to the official stamp of a notary public: (1) A notary public shall provide and keep an official seal, which shall be used to authenticate all the acts, instruments and attestations of the notary public. The seal must be a rubber stamp and must show clea…

(a) Security.-- (1) A notary public is responsible for the security of the stamping device of the notary public. A notary public may not allow another individual to use the device to perform a notarial act. (2) On resignation of a notary public commission or on the expiration of …

(a) Maintenance.--A notary public shall maintain a journal in which the notary public records in chronological order all notarial acts that the notary public performs. (b) Format.--A journal may be created on a tangible medium or in an electronic format. A notary public may maint…

(a) Selection.--A notary public may select one or more tamper-evident technologies to perform notarial acts with respect to electronic records. A person may not require a notary public to perform a notarial act with respect to an electronic record with a technology that the notar…

(a) Eligibility.--An applicant for appointment and commission as a notary public must meet all of the following: (1) Be at least 18 years of age. (2) Be a citizen or permanent legal resident of the United States. (3) Be a resident of or have a place of employment or practice in t…

(a) Examination.--An applicant for a commission as a notary public who does not hold a commission in this Commonwealth must pass an examination administered by the department or an entity approved by the department. The examination must be based on the course of study described i…

(a) Authority.--The department may deny, refuse to renew, revoke, suspend, reprimand or impose a condition on a commission as notary public for an act or omission which demonstrates that the individual lacks the honesty, integrity, competence or reliability to act as a notary pub…

The department shall maintain an electronic database of notaries public: (1) through which a person may verify the authority of a notary public to perform notarial acts; and (2) which indicates whether a notary public has notified the department that the notary public will be per…

(a) No authority.--A commission as a notary public does not authorize the notary public to: (1) assist persons in drafting legal records, give legal advice or otherwise practice law; (2) act as an immigration consultant or an expert on immigration matters; (3) represent a person …

(a) Failures.--Except as otherwise provided in section 304(b) (relating to authority to perform notarial act), the failure of a notarial officer to perform a duty or meet a requirement specified in this chapter does not invalidate a notarial act performed by the notarial officer.…

(a) Authority.--Except as provided in section 329.1(a)(relating to fees of notaries public), the department may promulgate regulations to implement this chapter. Regulations regarding the performance of notarial acts with respect to electronic records may not require or accord gr…

A commission as a notary public in effect on the effective date of this chapter continues until its date of expiration. A notary public who applies to renew a commission as a notary public on or after the effective date of this chapter is subject to this chapter. A notary public,…

This chapter does not affect the validity or effect of a notarial act performed before the effective date of this chapter.

(a) Department.--The fees of notaries public shall be fixed by the department by regulation. (b) Prohibition.--A notary public may not charge or receive a notary public fee in excess of the fee fixed by the department. (c) Operation.-- (1) The fees of the notary public shall be s…

In applying and construing this chapter, consideration must be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it.

To the extent permitted by section 102 of the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (Public Law 106-229, 15 U.S.C. § 7002), this chapter may modify or supersede provisions of that act.