Apostille and Notarization in Boston
Updated: Nov 7
BOSTON NOTARY SERVICE · KNOW WHICH STEP YOUR DOCUMENT NEEDS
A power of attorney and a certified birth certificate usually start in different places. Boston Notary Service can review the document and destination before you schedule a notary or send your paperwork.
The notarial certificate and the apostille do different jobs
A notarial certificate records the act the notary performed, such as taking an acknowledgment or administering an oath for a jurat. An apostille authenticates the relevant public signature, capacity and seal as applicable. For an eligible privately signed document, that public signature is often the notary’s.
For an official certified birth certificate or certified court record, the relevant public signature can be the issuing official’s. First identify whose signature is being authenticated and what format the recipient requests.
When a power of attorney or affidavit needs a signing appointment
Start with the document prepared by the recipient or counsel and ask for the requested notarial act and any witness instructions. An acknowledgment records the signer’s acknowledgment of a voluntary signature. A jurat involves an oath or affirmation and signing in the notary’s presence. If you are unsure whether to sign ahead of time, keep the document unsigned until you confirm the instructions.
Tell the notary if the document is in another language, if the signer acts on behalf of a company or another person, or if an overseas office supplied its own certificate wording. Share the requirements early so the appointment can be planned around the document.
When to ask for an official certified copy
For a vital record, contact the government custodian that can issue the official copy. For a court order, ask the court clerk which certified version is available. A notarized photocopy and an official certified copy serve different purposes, so confirm which one the receiving office expects before paying for a signing or copy.
University and company documents can arrive in several forms
A registrar-prepared transcript, a diploma prepared by the school and a privately signed corporate resolution each raise different questions. Ask the school how it releases prepared academic records. For company paperwork, distinguish documents issued by a government filing office from documents that an officer signs privately.
What to check on an already notarized document
Review the complete certificate and whether the notary’s signature, seal and commission expiration are present and legible where required. Tell us where the act took place and who issued the underlying document. If a required element is missing, ask about a properly completed replacement or new appointment before submitting it.
Build a plan for signing, filing and return
Send the destination, document type, signing location, number of signers, and date the paperwork must reach its recipient. If you have a school deadline, a closing date or an overseas appointment, include that in the first message. We can review which steps can be coordinated and quote the work before a handoff.
Get a plan for your documents
Share what you have, where it’s going and when it needs to arrive. We’ll confirm what’s needed and quote the work before you send originals. Your initial request does not collect payment.
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