A notary public is a public officer appointed and commissioned by the Governor whose function is to administer oaths (or affirmations); to take acknowledgments; to attest to the trueness of photocopies of certain documents; and to perform other duties specified by Florida law.

Notaries perform various duties, including witnessing and acknowledging signatures on documents, administering oaths and affirmations, certifying copies of documents, and protesting negotiable instruments.

Notarization helps prevent fraud by verifying the identity of signers and ensuring they are signing documents willingly and knowingly. It also provides a level of assurance to parties relying on the document's authenticity.

Common documents that often require notarization include deeds, wills, powers of attorney, affidavits, contracts, and certain financial and legal documents.

In Florida, acceptable forms of identification for notarization typically include government-issued photo IDs that contain the signer's signature and physical description. The identification must be current or, if expired, issued within the past 5 years. Additionally, the identification must contain a photograph, signature, and physical description of the individual

Examples include the following: Florida Driver's License; Florida Identification Card; United States Passport; Other State-issued ID; U.S. Military ID; U.S. Immigration Document; U.S. Visa with Foreign Passport.

No, notaries cannot provide legal advice unless they are also licensed attorneys. Notaries are prohibited from drafting legal documents or providing interpretations of the law.

A remote notary, also known as an online notary or electronic notary, is a notary public who is authorized to perform notarial acts remotely using audio-video technology instead of in-person interactions. Remote notarization allows individuals to have their documents notarized without physically meeting with the notary public. This can be particularly useful for individuals who are unable to travel to a notary's location or who prefer the convenience of online services.