Posted by Gloria Gebbia on 6/20/13 9:15pm
Msg #474162

New York Notary state laws

I have read in a number of web sites concerning New York seals being written and signed in black ink only, could someone please answer me maybe I am wrong but I was cancelled out tonight because they wanted the notary to sign in blue ink. If I am wrong I will apologize to the Title Processing Center also known as Direct Closers.

Reply by Doris_CO on 6/20/13 9:33pm
Msg #474165

Gloria, see Mike's reply to another notary. Msg #474139

Reply by ReneeK_MI on 6/21/13 5:38am
Msg #474200

Only one source for this info

Your NY DOS site is the only website you can rely on for this question - here is what your NY law says:

Seal

The laws of the State of New York do not require the use of seals by
notaries public. If a seal is used, it should sufficiently identify the notary
public, his authority and jurisdiction. It is the opinion of the Department of
State that the only inscription required is the name of the notary and the
words “Notary Public for the State of New York.”

Signature of Notary Public

A notary public must sign the name under which he was appointed and no
other. In addition to his signature and venue, the notary public shall print,
typewrite or stamp beneath his signature in black ink, his name, the words
“Notary Public State of New York,” the name of the county in which he is
qualified, and the date upon which his commission expires (§137,
Executive Law).

Reply by BobbiCT on 6/21/13 10:00am
Msg #474220

New York Notary state laws blue signature

NOT an attorney. A few years ago I had this in a seminar I presented to lawyer/paralegals re confusing ink color. I also spoke up with a NY notary at an XYZ seminar where the speaker, reading from a script, had the information wrong. It is a quirkly law that NY real estate attorneys are savy about, but not "outsiders." NY ain't gonna fix what ain't broke

The signers and the notary can SIGN in blue ink. Any handwritten text, other than a signature, must be in BLACK ink. If you change your notarization block it must be in black and then switch to blue when you sign your name.

Answer: The notary public can sign in BLUE ink. Unless the contractor tells the notary they want black ink, which the notary can also sign in.

Reply by MikeC/TX on 6/21/13 11:05am
Msg #474232

There is no seal in NY; the required identifying information (including commission # and expiration date) must be printed or stamped beneath the notary's signature in black ink.

Unless recording requirements for certain documents (such as the mortgage) state otherwise, your signature can be in blue ink.

Reply by Lisa Cirillo on 6/21/13 3:12pm
Msg #474253

I just spoke with Amanda at Department of State for New York. It is now confirmed that New York State Notaries must use black ink to sign their names and their stamps must be in black ink as well.

I hope this puts to rest the ink color for New York.

Reply by MikeC/TX on 6/21/13 6:17pm
Msg #474281

Not so fast...

According to Section 137 of NY's Executive Law:

"In exercising his powers pursuant to this article, a notary public, in
addition to the venue of his act and his signature, shall print, typewrite, or
stamp beneath his signature in black ink, his name, the words “Notary
Public State of New York,” the name of the county in which he originally
qualified, and the date upon which his commission expires and, in
addition, wherever required, a notary public shall also include the name of
any county in which his certificate of official character is filed, using the
words “Certificate filed ................... County.” "

God invented commas to confuse us. And not being completely satisfied with that level of confusion, He then invented lawyers...

If one reads this to mean that the signature itself must be in black ink, then the identifying information beneath it does not have to be in black because the phrase only applies to the signature. If one reads it to mean that the stamp must be in black ink, then the signature is not required to be in that color because the phrase applies to the identifying info. You don't get both the way the law is written. This is not unusual for NY, which is probably the most legislatively dysfunctional State in the Union...

When I was in NY, I always used black ink to sign because it just made sense to me - it matched the color of the stamp I was using. I think most NY notaries do the same. I also don't think Amanda is correct, because there has been zero guidance about NY notary requirements from the SOS office over the years. It would be nice if they would just pass a law that said "black ink only for everything", but that will never happen.