Who Needs A Notary Public Bond

Anyone that desires to hold a commission as a notary will need  a notary public bond.  The bond is issued by an insurance agency that deals with surety issues or an independent surety agent.  A notary bond will be good for 4 years from the date of issuance and then will have to renewed. The renewal of a notary bond is pretty simple unless the notary has let their existing bond lapse for over 365 days or during the past 4 years claims have been made against the bond.  In either one of those cases the notary will have to formally reapply with the surety agency and take educational classes as set fourth by their local jurisdiction.A notary public bond can be thought of as an insurance product that is required by the state to make sure that the public has some protection built into the notary service against crimes such as fraud, neglect, and other dishonest acts.The notary bond is required because it can guarantee a financial incentive for the notary to execute their duties correctly.  When we say guarantee a financial incentive what we mean is that if the notary has a claim made against their bond by the general public, the notary becomes liable to pay the insurance company back for any losses.  That is deterrent enough for some people not to be untruthful in the execution of their duties.While it is true that a notary needs a notary public bond to give the public a layer of protection, it is E&O insurance that protects the notary against any claims made on the bond.  Errors and Omissions insurance can be obtained by a notary at the same time they buy their notary bond.A notary public is a job title that has been created by the state.  For instance, Nevada notary bonds are issued to notaries that have earned their commission in the state of Nevada.  The notary is often referred to as an official witness.  For the most part they will observe people as they sign legal documents and papers.There are all sorts of people that are more then willing to partake all sorts of illegal activities.  It is the notaries responsibility to insure that a person with criminal intent  does not get to sign important documents.  To this end notaries are required to demand official identification before they notarize a signature.  This identification can be a state drivers license, a passport, or a military ID.  The identification must have a photograph of the person requesting the notary services and also a physical description of that person.The types of documents that legally require a notary seal are powers of attorney, real estate deeds, and some specified affidavits.  Without the seal many of these documents will lack any form of legal credibility.There are many documents that are not required to be notarized.  But corporate entities and individuals will often require a notarized signature because it lends credibility and an official standing to the signature.A notarized document is not the same as a legal document.  A notarized document is just a way for all the parties that have an interest in the document to be assured that the signatures attached are authentic.Hopefully your understanding of who needs a Notary Public Bond and how the bond works is much clearer now.