Posted by Priscilla Witman on 4/22/12 3:52pm
Msg #418537

"No other acknowledgment is acceptable" verbiage

...two days in a row, I've had GNW with this statement as a part of the included certificate that doesn't comply with California code. I am sorry, requesting agency, but I do not abide by your rules, but by the laws of the state that commissions me. What's more is that they leave NO room for either an acknowledgement stamp or even my notary stamp. This is very frustrating. Thanks to Marian Harmon: I have ordered "see attached certificate for ack/jurat in compliance with..." stamps so I don't have to write it out anymore. I also plan to contact this agency to talk to them about this; I see these forms more and more lately.
On another note, I had to laugh (mostly to keep from crying) recently. A customer said "How'd you get into this? This looks super easy."

Reply by LKT/CA on 4/22/12 4:09pm
Msg #418538

I expect that 95% of notarial certs in CA are non-compliant and I'm surprised when they are. On Friday, I completed a signature by mark and the example included on how to complete a signature by mark was wrong. I simply completed it the right way and let the customer know the example was incorrect. This is just a normal part of notarizing in CA. I wouldn't give a second thought to useless statements or examples of how we are to notarize. WE know what we're to do to be compliant, and should just take care of it. Therefore, I don't understand your "frustration".

Also, if the signer is adamant that the receiving party will take issue with how I'm notarizing, I tell the customer to just give the agency my number and have them call me (so I can straightened them out).

Reply by Carol Graff on 4/22/12 5:44pm
Msg #418547

Priscilla, I certainly understand your frustation. Our lives w/b so much easier if we just had everyone use CA compliant certs (or let us use them). I had a major bank refuse it once after I had done 3 other notarizations. I called the Bank President to get paid a few mos later & I got paid! It's been (I believe) since 2008--it's time they got they message. But, of course, that is in an ideal world.............

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 4/22/12 5:44pm
Msg #418548

Easy?

Here's your reply :

"It's not easy, however a professional makes it look easy."

Reply by Priscilla Witman on 4/22/12 6:13pm
Msg #418550

LOL, Glenn.

He went on to say, "We could make a killing doing this!"

Reply by OR on 4/22/12 8:47pm
Msg #418564

Re: I always say

Yes, but all the accounting that I have to do takes up the other 1/2 of the day. They always ask "what do you mean by that." I tell them we have to perfect accounting records for the IRS because we have to pay tax's too. That is the part I don't get paid to do. They usually say something like "hummm" and move on.

Reply by kathy/ca on 4/23/12 11:34am
Msg #418610

Professionalism makes anything look easy! n/m

Reply by BrendaTx on 4/23/12 5:42pm
Msg #418657

Great quote, kathy/ca. n/m

Reply by lyndie on 4/23/12 8:23pm
Msg #418677

Most often in loan packages, I notice that some notarizations have the proper Calif. compliant wording, and then many in the same loan package do not. Same goes for the jurats. This is when my little jurat stamp comes in handy!
Don't you just love being on your toes!?

Reply by Priscilla Witman on 4/24/12 12:33pm
Msg #418756

The follow up

As it turns out, I notarized three sets of paperwork from this same requesting agency over the weekend. I am confident in my knowledge and understanding of my states laws and codes, but I called the agency anyway. I asked the very nice gentleman who answered if they would really reject a loose acknowledgment (properly attached, of course) based on the "no other ack is acceptable" verbiage on their form. He said no, of course not, as long as the loose certificate is referred to on their form and the loose certificate bears a proper notarization. I said, thankyouverymuch, took his name, phone number, and recorded the date and time for future reference.
As I said previously...I am confident that I execute my notarial duties properly. Generally speaking, however, the public doesn't know the laws and codes to the extent that I do (and why should they?) and some get panicky with forms that state in bold, black print, that "no other acknowledgement is acceptable". Sometimes it's nice to be able to say, relax, I've already talked to the document recipient, and they said they will not reject your document simply because I have attached a CA-compliant certificate. Of course, I can't always say that I've talked to the agency, but then again, most people are satisfied to know that I am operating according to CA law and don't worry themselves further.