Is a notary allowed to perform a jurat for a document that is signed before arriving at the notary?

A notary public is not permitted to perform a jurat on a document that has been signed before the signer arrives at the notary's location. A jurat involves administering an oath or affirmation to the signer, confirming that the contents of the document are true and accurate. For the jurat to be valid, the signer must acknowledge their signature and affirm the truthfulness of the document in the presence of the notary. This requirement ensures that the notary has firsthand knowledge of the signing, which is crucial for the integrity of the notarization process.

In this context, if a document is signed beforehand without the notary present, the notary cannot vouch for the authenticity of the signature or the circumstances under which it was signed. Thus, the notary's role is compromised, making it clear why performing a jurat under such conditions is prohibited.