Difference Between Notarization and Attestation

There are several people seeking official certification of the documents to be used overseas who believe that “attestation” and “notarization” are the same terms which is one of the biggest misconceptions.

If you are actually serious about acquiring such service and trying every possible effort to allocate the major or minor difference between the notarization and attestation. Then this post is definitely for you as it will guide you to the right path. Reading the article will give you a clearer understanding of what each one is and what the purpose for each one is.

What is Notarization?

The notarization of documents in Singapore, commonly known as a notarial act, is considered the procedure of granting official evidence that the actual owner of the document has attested to the document to ensure its authenticity and reliability.

Notarial acts are composed of three parts: verifying the document, certifying it, and recording them. The primary reason behind the notarization of documents in Singapore is to figure out and lower the fraud, and the Notary public performs this function.

The eligibility criteria to become a notary public vary from state to state. But in most states, the requirements remain the same, including submission of application, paying the required fees, acquiring the notary public oath, and then, at last, being sworn in by the Secretary of State. Some states in Singapore ask you to appear and pass the test to become authorized notary public.

What is Attestation?

An Attestation is defined as the formal declaration by the witness that a function was performed in their presence in compliance with the legal guidelines stated by the Singapore government.

In other words, when it comes to certifying documents, it is the act of validating that a signature was done in the witness presence. According to the law, the attestation can be done by any person or witness aged more than 18 years, and it does not own any of the documents that are getting certified.

Differences between Notarization and Attestation

• A notarization and an attestation differ in several aspects. First, notarizations can be conducted by only public notaries, while attestations can be conducted by anyone who can serve as a witness.
• Notary Publics must affix the stamp or seal on the documents when the notarial act is being performed to get accepted overseas. In contrast, any person serving as a witness is not required to do such activities like affixing the seal or stamp on the document.
• While acquiring the notary public service, you need to keep in mind that not all states ask for the seal or stamp of the public notaries to notarize the document. And if any of the states ask the public notary to affix the seal or stamp and the public notary does not follow the instruction, then such a notarization will be considered invalid. As a result, all the public notaries must follow the stated guidelines in detail and ensure that the documents are notarized properly. In certain situations, a Notary Public may attest a document as a witness. When this occurs, the notary cannot notarize the signature.
• At last, keep in mind that notarization does not authenticate the documents; instead, it is the act of authentication of the signature of the person who actually owns the document. During the execution of a notarial act, the Notary Public is granted to notarizing the signature of the person serving as a witness who can attest to the document’s authenticity. Additionally, the notaries can also serve as witnesses when they are not assigned to notarize the document.

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