Hello everyone, We know things have been a little quiet here in the forum, and we want to take a moment to check in. While you may not be seeing daily updates, please understand that work is actively happening behind the scenes every single day. We have been in contact with multiple legislators, both past and present, as well as other state officials, continuing to push forward on issues that matter to New Jersey notaries. These conversations take time, persistence, and follow-through, and we are fully engaged in that process. Our commitment remains the same: to advance the profession, strengthen standards, and provide meaningful, accessible education to notaries across the state. That mission is driving everything we are doing right now. We appreciate your patience and your continued support. Your involvement and trust allow us to keep moving forward, even when progress is not always visible in real time. Team NJNA

QUESTION RECEIVED: I have been asked by a husband and wife to notarize a school form containing an acknowledgment. The couple are very well known to me, so I do not need their identification. Both of them have already signed the form. Only the wife is able to visit me in person. Can I accept the husband’s acknowledgment via FaceTime video? ANSWER: No. In New Jersey, performing a notarization for someone who is not physically present before you requires authorization to perform Remote Online Notarizations (RON). RON must be conducted through a state-approved platform that meets New Jersey’s security and recordkeeping standards. Video chat services such as FaceTime, Google Meet, and Skype do not satisfy these requirements and cannot be used for this purpose. If you are not authorized as a Remote Online Notary through the State of New Jersey, you may not perform remote notarizations. SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVES: OPTION 1: Suggest the couple use an approved Remote Online Notary. Both individuals would be able to appear remotely before an authorized New Jersey notary public to complete the notarization together. Many notaries in our organization are authorized to perform RON services. OPTION 2: Complete the notarization for the wife only, in person. The document can then be sent to the husband, who can appear before a notary in the state where he is physically located to complete his portion. Note: The out-of-state notary must be authorized to perform notarizations in that state. OPTION 3 (If permitted by the document issuer, in this case the school): Complete the notarization for the wife only. The husband can then complete a separate but identical copy of the form where he is currently located. Note: This is a practical workaround if the school permits, but it’s not a formal notarial solution. This simply splits the acknowledgment into two separate forms with separate notarizations. For many documents, such as those for loans, this would most likely not be an allowable solution. Acceptance is entirely up to the receiving party (the school) and should be verified in advance before proceeding with this scenario.

SCENARIO: A New Jersey Notary Public's commission is expiring. The notary obtains a renewal commission and takes the oath of office. The notary has not yet received or obtained an updated Notary Stamp (seal) bearing the new commission expiration date. The notary continues to notarize documents using the old stamp with the now-expired expiration date. The notary strikes through the expired date and hand-writes the updated commission expiration date. NJNA DETERMINATION: This is not an allowable practice. The act of crossing out an old commission expiration date on a notarial stamp and handwriting a new one is not permitted under New Jersey law. This practice violates the statutory requirements for an official notary stamp and undermines the integrity of the notarial act. The specific legal mandates are found in both the New Jersey Revised Statutes and the New Jersey Administrative Code. 1. THE STATUTE REQUIRES THE EXPIRATION DATE TO BE PART OF THE OFFICIAL STAMP New Jersey law explicitly requires that the commission expiration date be a physical component of the official stamp itself, not a notation added later. The primary statute governing this, N.J.S.A. 52:7-10.5, states unequivocally: "The official stamp of a notary public shall: (1) include the name of the notary public, the title 'Notary Public, State of New Jersey,' and the notary public's commission expiration date; and (2) be capable of being copied together with the record to which it is affixed or attached or with which it is logically associated." The key word in this statute is "include." The expiration date must be part of the stamp's pre-designed, permanent impression. A handwritten alteration is not part of the official stamp and therefore fails to meet this requirement. 2. THE ADMIN CODE REINFORCED THE REQUIREMENT The requirement is further reinforced by the New Jersey Administrative Code. N.J.A.C. 17:50-1.8(g) repeats the mandate from the statute, stating: "The official stamp of a notary public shall: 1. Include the name of the notary public, the title 'Notary Public, State of New Jersey,' and the notary public's commission expiration date; and 2. Be capable of being copied together with the record to which it is affixed or attached or with which it is logically associated."

QUESTION RECEIVED VIA NJNA WEBSITE: I was completing a notarial certificate, and it was asking for a social security number. Why would they do this? NJNA RESPONSE: Great question! And one we’re glad you asked! Upon further review, the document was not requesting a Social Security number. Instead, it included the letters “SS” within the venue portion of the notarial certificate. This is very common in traditional notarial wording and typically appears like this: STATE OF NEW JERSEY _____ } _____________________________ } SS COUNTY OF MERCER ________} The “SS” shown here is not a reference to a Social Security number. It is an abbreviation of the Latin term scilicet, meaning “namely”, “to wit", or "in particular". In notarial practice, it simply designates the venue (the location where the notarial act is performed). In other words, it is a historical legal abbreviation identifying where the notarization took place, nothing more. If you ever encounter wording in a certificate that is unclear, always take a moment to review it carefully before proceeding. When in doubt, consult the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services Notary Public Manual or reach out to NJNA for guidance. We’re always here to help clarify these common (and sometimes confusing!) notarial terms.

Happy Friday, NJNA Members! 🎉 We’re excited to announce that our Notary Handbook...... Garden State Notary: A Complete Guide for New Jersey Notaries, is now available at 25% off the standard retail price for all members with an Annual Membership! To claim your discount: 1. Go to the Classroom tab. 2. Select “Members Only Book Sale”. 3. Scroll to the bottom of the post to access the exclusive members-only link. Important: This special offer is only available through the link mentioned above. NJNA cannot provide this discount on purchases made directly through Amazon or the NJNA website. Take advantage of this offer and enhance your notary knowledge today! Thanks, and have a wonderful weekend! 🌟