As a public servant, a notary public exists as an official witness to important documents, deeds and other matters. If you need to prove your signature on a letter or statement, such as a letter of permission or a consent form, a notary public in your county can sign the document too, as an authoritative witness.
Content of a Notarized Letter
Your letter may take the form of a simple statement, with space for signatures and dates, or may look like more a formal letter. If you choose the latter format, add your address first, at the top, with each address element on a separate line, as you would for any letter. Align it to the right of the page. The name and address of the person receiving the letter goes next, aligned to the left of the page. Then add the day and date on the next line, aligning it on the right.
Start the main body of the letter with "Dear ____," followed by the name of the recipient. In the main text, sum up in one or two paragraphs the information you've been asked to provide. In a letter of permission, for example, you may simply write, "I give permission for my daughter, Jane Smith, to participate in the Springfield High School Mexico trip from Wednesday 11 to Wednesday 19 April, 2011." In a letter declaring you have no criminal record, for example, write something like, "As per your request, I hereby confirm that I have never been charged with a crime or received a criminal conviction."
Keep the information in your letter concise and factual, and include important details such as full names and dates, so there is no doubt as to its meaning. Sign off as you would any other formal letter, e.g., "Yours sincerely," with your name and title or role printed underneath where your signature will go, e.g. "David Smith, Parent of Jane Smith."
Notary Public Signature on Your Letter
Underneath the main content of your letter, you must leave a clearly marked space for the notary public to sign and leave his seal or stamp. You may want to use some formal wording, such as "I, ____, Notary Public in the county of ____, state of ____, witness that ...", or simply leave a space with the name of the notary public, her title, county and state, and a line for the date typed underneath.
Getting a Notary Public Signature and Seal
You can find a notary public in your local telephone directory, through an online search or through a website such as 123Notary. Book an appointment and take the letter with you. It is important you do not sign the document until the notary public is there to witness it. He will watch you sign, then sign the letter himself where indicated. You may have to pay a small fee to get a notary public signature.
