Notary Service
- Notary Services are available by appointment from 9:30am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday.
- Patrons seeking Notary Service should call the Library at 205-978-0155 prior to their visit to ensure that a Notary is available. Notary Service is not guaranteed for customers who do not call in advance to make an appointment.
- Valid government-issued photo identification is required of any patron seeking Notary Service.
- Notary Service is NOT available for the following documents:
- Deeds, mortgages, or other real estate transactions
- Wills, Power of Attorney, living wills, living trusts, codicils, or depositions
- c. I-9 forms (employment verification forms)
- d. Custody, adoption, or forms pertaining to family law
- e. Insurance documents requiring verification of damage
- Certain public documents cannot be copied and notarized. Examples of these include birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage certificates.
- Documents in any language other than English will not be notarized. The Library Notary is not permitted to make use of a translator to communicate with a Notary Service patron. The patron and Notary must be able to directly communicate with each other.
- Documents must be complete and ready for signature.
- Documents may not be entirely handwritten. Printed forms with handwritten answers in ink are acceptable.
- All documents must be signed in the presence of the Notary. No pre-signed documents will be notarized.
- In situations where a witness is required, the Library will not provide witnesses and witnesses may not be solicited from patrons using the library. To serve as a witness, the witness must personally know the individual whose document is being notarized and must be in possession of valid photo identification.
- The notary public is prohibited from helping to prepare, complete, comprehend or advise on legal or other documents. Library notaries do not provide legal advice or opinions. If legal advice is needed, please consult an attorney.
- Notaries reserve the right to refuse notarizing documents if there is a legitimate reason (examples include signer(s) not present, incomplete document, signer mentally incapacitated, invalid ID, etc.). Notaries will not provide service if the patron, document, or circumstances of the request for Notary Service raise any issue of authenticity, ambiguity, doubt, or uncertainty for the Notary. In this event, the Library Notary may, at his/her sole discretion, decline to provide Notary Services.
