Notarization.

What it is.

A notarization is a notary public's confirmation that the person signing a document is who they claim to be, and that they signed willingly and knowingly. The notary verifies identification, witnesses the signature, applies a seal, and signs the document themselves.

The notary is appointed by the state and takes an oath to act impartially. Their seal is the United States' answer to the question every other party will eventually ask: is this signature real?

Notarization is a domestic certification. For international use, a notarized document is typically followed by an apostille. We handle both.

When you need it.

Notarization is requested whenever a document needs to be presented in a context where the receiving party will not accept a signature alone. The most common documents:

• Powers of attorney granting someone authority to act on your behalf
• Affidavits and sworn statements for court, immigration, or business filings
• Real estate documents: deeds, mortgages, trust agreements
• Corporate resolutions and shareholder consents
• Copies of identity documents that need to be certified as true copies
• Contracts where one party requires notarized signatures for enforceability

If the document has a signature line and the receiving party is anything more formal than a friend, notarization is often required.

How we handle it.

For founders in the US, we coordinate an in-person appointment with a US-licensed notary. For founders abroad, many states now permit Remote Online Notarization, where the signer joins by video call and the document is notarized digitally. We handle the platform and the coordination.

Once notarized, you receive a digital copy and the original is shipped by certified mail. If the document is bound for a foreign jurisdiction, we add the apostille certification before shipping.

• The document to be notarized
• Government-issued photo ID (US-issued or international, depending on state)