General Counsel Manual

• Order it online at UNC School Of Government Email School of Government

  Write to: School of Government

  UNC Chapel Hill, CB #3330, Knapp-Sanders

  Building, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3330;

  Call 919-966-4119; or

  Contact a bookstore in your area or a local community college.

• Submit the completed application with the required fee to us.

Practice Tip: It is not required that attorneys take the Notary Public course before being commissioned as a Notary Public. It is, however, STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that attorneys take the Notary Public course. Taking the course is the easiest way to ensure that you understand and comply with the Notary Act.

Practice Tip: If you are commissioned as a Notary Public, keep a notary journal. The reason is that in many instances, a notary journal has protected a Notary Public from allegations of fraud or other misconduct.

Finding a Notary

Practice Tip: If you are not a notary and need a notary, you can use our Find a Notary search to find a notary in any part of North Carolina. Go to Find a Notary.

Identification Requirement

Practice Tip: Never ask a Notary Public to perform a notarial act for a person without the notary being able to verify that person’s identity through personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence of identity. The reason is that a Notary Public may be found guilty of misconduct if he or she performs a notarial act without verifying the identity of the person whose signature is being notarized. That could mean either administrative penalties for the notary or criminal penalties. In addition, you may commit a crime if you knowingly solicit, coerce, or in a material way influence a notary to commit official misconduct. G.S. § 10B-60(j).

Practice Tip: If a notary does not know the person for whom you are asking for a notarial act, consider including “bring an ID” in your instructions to the person. Remember that the Notary Act limits the acceptable IDs. G.S. § 10B-3(22). The reason is that a Notary may be found guilty of misconduct if he or she performs a notarial act for a person without verifying their identity through personal knowledge or satisfactory evidence of identity.