COPIES:

New Mexico allows Notary-certified copies such as original personal papers, college diplomas, letters, “living wills,” and in-house business documents. Specifically excluded are Naturalization Certificates.  See Items NOT to be notarized for other exclusions.

 

DOCUMENTS REQUIRING ACKNOWLEDMENTS:

Documents requiring acknowledgments are previously signed documents where the signer appears in the Notary’s presence to acknowledge that he or she freely signed for the purposes in the document. For example, wage and salary assignments shall be acknowledged by the party making the assignment. The document certificate indicates, for an individual, “This instrument was acknowledged before me…” or, for a signer in a representative capacity, “this instrument was acknowledged before me … on behalf of whom instrument was executed.”

 

DOCUMENTS REQUIRING A JURAT, that is, a signature made under oath or affirmation:

Documents requiring a jurat, such as an affidavit, must be signed in the Notary’s presence, and the wording on the document certificate indicates “Subscribed (signed) and sworn to before me…”

 

DOCUMENTS REQUIRING A SIGNATURE WITNESSING:

Documents requiring a “witnessing” must be signed in the Notary’s presence, and the wording on the document certificate indicates “Signed and or attested to before me…”  The signer is merely signing the document, not vouching that the contents of the document are true.