What Address Do I Record In My Notary Journal?

I have been asked to notarize a "Form TSP-70," but there is not enough room for my seal. What should I do? — A.N., Washington

Updated 11-16-16. Form TSP-70 tells the Notary, "No other acknowledgement is acceptable" but the one on the document, but then provides virtually no space for the seal. In such cases, the NNA recommends that Notaries with rectangular seals affix the seal vertically in the left-hand margin where there may be space without placing it over the text in the document. Notaries with circular seals may be out of luck, if their state's law prohibits the seal from being placed over any text or signatures on the document. If that's the case, you'll need to refuse to perform the notarization.

Hotline answers are based on the laws in the state where the question originated and may not reflect the laws of other states. If in doubt, always refer to your own state statutes. – The Editors

Confronted with a tricky notarization? Unsure how to proceed? NNA members have unlimited access to our expertly trained NNA Hotline consultants to help you with all of your notarial questions. Call 1-888-876-0827, Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. PST; Saturday, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.

19 Comments

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Suman

11 Dec 2023

Can we capture notary's address- city and state in the eJournal?

National Notary Association

12 Dec 2023

Hello. To help us answer your question, can you please tell us what state you are commissioned in?

Jonathan Settle

19 Oct 2023

Hello I am a notary in California, I primarily do notarizations for my work. Specifically I notarize for my coworker on a specific set of documents. Upon filling out the Journal Entry I have been using her Personal Address that appears on her ID, after doing a few notarizations for her, she has told me she isn't comfortable with me using her personal address for these notarizations as these are for our work place and not personal usage, the question at hand is, can I use our work address instead of her personal address if she is signing these documents for her work place?

20 Oct 2023

Hello. You are not required to enter the signer's address in your journal. CA Notary journal entries must include the following information (GC 8206[a]): Date, time and type of each official act; Character (type or title) of every document sworn to, affirmed, acknowledged or proved before the Notary; Signature of each person whose signature is notarized, including the signature of any subscribing witness and the mark of a signer; Statement regarding the type of satisfactory evidence relied on to identify the signer; Fee charged for the notarial act or, if no fee was charged, “No Fee” or “0”; If document is a power of attorney, deed, quitclaim deed, deed of trust or other document affecting real property, the right thumbprint (or any other available print) of the signer.

Marci Goldofski

20 Apr 2023

My notary commission is in New York State. I am unable to contact anyone in the notary department of my state as they do not respond to emails or answer the phone. The journal rules advise journaling the signer's address - it does not distinguish if home or work address. In my case, I only notarize documents under my employment which are signed by my co-workers and are business documents of my employer. Do you know if we can journal the signer's business address or do we need to ask for our co-worker's home addresses which seems too personal to do under these circumstances. Thank you for any assistance you can give me.

22 Jun 2023

Entering the your coworker’s address in your journal is fine. There is no requirement for the type of address to be provided.

Claire

13 Apr 2023

I only notarize for my coworkers who are known to me who insist upon providing their work address. I am in New York- is that OK ?

Noel

05 Jan 2023

If I notarize for coworkers only and I put their work address, is this incorrect? I am in Pennsylvania.

03 Feb 2023

The law for journal entries only indicates “The full name and address of each individual for whom the notarial act is performed.” That being the case, you can use any address provided by the signer.

Bella

27 Jan 2022

Do I put physical or mailing address in my journal of signer? I’m in the state of Missouri and if the address on the DL is not correct do I put the corrected one or the one listed on the DL?

28 Jan 2022

Based on what you’ve described, we think it would be best if you contacted our Hotline team by phone and provided them with a more detailed description of the situation. The NNA Hotline: 1-888-876-0827 Mon – Fri: 5:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (PT) Saturday: 5:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (PT) If you’re not an NNA Member or Hotline Subscriber, they will provide you with a one-time courtesy call.

Angi

17 Feb 2017

If a signer’s address on their ID is not the same as their current address, which address do I record in my journal? LA, California

Saida

07 Aug 2016

How To notarize apostile?

09 Aug 2016

Hello. An apostille authenticates a notarization on a document. More information can be found in this article: https://www.nationalnotary.org/notary-bulletin/blog/2015/07/notary-basics-understanding-apostilles

Vickee Donoho

01 Aug 2016

I'm from California. When taking the seminar, I was told the signer's address wasn't even one of the journal items required. Also, what good is an address on an ID if the person no longer lives there. Why not use their current address?

02 Aug 2016

Hello. Different states have different requirements regarding what information must be recorded in a journal entry. The original question was asked by a Notary from Arizona, which does require an address in the journal entry. The recommendation in the article is provided in a publication of the Arizona Secretary of State's office.

Nancy

I only notarize papers of people I work with and they have always insisted I put their work address and that is what I've always done? Am I wrong?

Hello Nancy. To help us answer your question, can you please tell us what state you are commissioned in?

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