Meaning & use
notary public
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountablelegal
A person with official authority to witness signatures and certify documents.
Grammar: Countable: say 'a notary public' or 'notaries public' (plural).
Patterns
- become a notary public
- have a document signed by a notary public
You need a notary public to witness your signature on this contract.
The bank keeps a notary public on staff to handle legal papers.
She became a notary public after passing the state exam.
noununcountablelegal
The office or official stamp of such a person (less common).
Grammar: Uncountable when referring to the office or service: 'go to notary public'.
Patterns
- go to notary public
We had to go to notary public to get the deed stamped.
The fee for notary public was twenty dollars.
Word forms
| plural | notaries public |
|---|
Common combinations
- certified by a notary public
- The copy was certified by a notary public.
- notary public seal
- The notary public seal must appear on the document.
- appointment as notary public
- His appointment as notary public was announced yesterday.
Synonyms and how they differ
- notary
- A shorter, common term for the same official; 'notary public' is the full legal title.
- public notary
- A less common variant, mainly used in some regions.
Word family
- notarial adjective
- Relating to a notary or their work.
- notarize verb
- To certify a document as a notary public.
Commonly confused: notary public or notary?
notary public vs notary
In everyday speech, 'notary' alone usually means the same as 'notary public', but in some legal systems it may refer only to a lower official.
Practice
Which sentence uses the correct plural form?
Choose one answer.
The standard plural of 'notary public' is 'notaries public', with the plural ending on the first word. 'Notary publics' is sometimes heard but is less accepted; the other options are singular or ungrammatical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “notary public”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.