Posted by Stella/CA on 5/25/05 10:52am
Msg #40290

Thumbprint for investment subscription agreement?

Hello all,

I am working for an investment firm. I recently got my notary certificate as an addition to my qualifications and today I will have my first signing with an inportant client. I have to notarize a subscription agreement for a big investment. Please, advise me, do I need to take a thumbprint in that case??? My co-workers in the firm say that a thummbprint is required only in the case of notarizing mortgage docs, but I do not recollect such exception from the notary handbook.

Could you please express your opinion on that matter. I will ask for ID and so on, but how about a thumbprint??

Thank you so much

Reply by CAtitlegal on 5/25/05 11:12am
Msg #40300

Here is a link to the CA Sec of State, and the notary handbook:

http://www.ss.ca.gov/business/notary/notary_2005hdbk_1stpg.htm. See page 8.

Reply by SamIam_CA on 5/25/05 11:16am
Msg #40303

are u stalking me? we seem 2b in sync in our replies :) n/m

Reply by CAtitlegal on 5/25/05 11:19am
Msg #40305

stalker....:)

I swear I was just thinking...'dang, we think alike...must be a smart girl'

Reply by SamIam_CA on 5/25/05 11:13am
Msg #40301

I have no idea what a subscription agreement is. That said you only need to get a thumbprint when the document you are notarizing pertains to real estate.

Page 8 of the handbook - always keep it with your journal & stamp.

"7. If the document to be notarized is a deed, quitclaim deed, or deed of trust affecting real
property, the notary public shall require the party signing the document to place his or
her right thumbprint in the journal. If the right thumbprint is not available, then the
notary public shall have the party use his or her left thumb, or any available finger and
shall so indicate in the journal. If the party signing the document is physically unable to
provide a thumb or fingerprint, the notary public shall so indicate in the journal and
shall also provide an explanation of that physical condition."

Reply by Stella/CA on 5/25/05 11:28am
Msg #40310

Thanks a lot, everybody!!!

Reply by CAtitlegal on 5/25/05 11:49am
Msg #40318

Welcome! BTW, I can understand why you'd ask the question...a subscription agreement can involve even more $$ exchanging hands than a mortgage.

Reply by BarbaraL_CA on 5/25/05 11:55am
Msg #40321

Even though its not required except for real estate docs, I always fingerprint the people I ID. Better too much info than not enough. With identity fraud so rampant, one never knows. :-)

Reply by Stephanie_CA on 5/25/05 3:03pm
Msg #40362

Hi Stella:

I take a thumbprint for every signature I notarize; when a signer sees all the thumbprints, there is no resistance. It is just something I do on a regular basis - take a thumbprint for every signature I notarize. It is no big deal.

Reply by Ernest_CT on 5/25/05 9:42pm
Msg #40420

Umm, Stephanie_CA, I've got a question!

"... when a signer sees all the thumbprints, ..."?! Huh? The previous names, signatures, and thumbprints are visible to the subsequent signers?! Huge privacy issue!

It's never occurred to me to ask, or to tell, but here goes. When I began, I cut strips of manila file folders: One tall enough to cover one journal line, one to cover two lines, another to cover three lines, et cetera. At the end of each signing, while I'm going through my I'm-a-public-servant speech, I remove the journal strip and replace it with one that covers all the names, signatures, etc. A jumbo clip keeps the strip on the journal page until it is time to replace the strip or go to te next page.