NOTARY SERVICES POLICY - Saint Albans City Clerk’s Office

The following policy applies to Notary Services provided by the Saint Albans City Clerk’s Office as of May 18, 2020.

1. The duty of the Notary is to take acknowledgements. This means that the Notary certifies that an individual has acknowledged that an act of signing a document is his or her free act and deed. 
2. You must sign the document in front of the Notary.
3. Notary services are provided to walk-in’s at the discretion of the Clerk & Asst. Clerk.
4. Notary Services will not be provided to anyone we do not know personally without picture identification. If we are unable to provide a notary for you, you can find a notary on the Vermont Secretary of State’s website:  https://sos.vermont.gov/
5. Under 26 VSA Section 5372, a notary public may refuse to perform a notarial act if the notary is (1) not satisfied that the individual before them has capacity or is competent to execute the record, or (2) not satisfied that the individual’s signature is knowingly and voluntarily made. A notary public may also refuse to perform notarial acts under other circumstances so long as the notary public’s refusal is not otherwise prohibited by law.
6. You will be asked to sign our Notary Log Book to receive services. 
7. Documents must have a Notary Block.
8. If your document(s) require witnesses, you are responsible to bring your own witnesses.
9. We do not notarize Wills, Divorce Documents, Affidavits, Power of Attorney or Custody Papers. We do not notarize land documents (i.e. deeds, mortgages, loan modifications, transfer of property or title, liens etc.) that will be recorded in the City of Saint Albans land records.
10. We do not notarize documents written in a foreign language. We recommend you contact the Secretary of the State’s Office, Notary Division.
11. There is no charge for notary services when provided by the Clerk, Assistant Clerk.