A Notary Public is an official of integrity appointed by state government — typically by the secretary of state — to serve the public as an impartial witness in performing a variety of official fraud-deterrent acts related to the signing of important documents. These official acts are called notarizations, or notarial acts. Notaries are publicly commissioned as "ministerial" officials, meaning that they are expected to follow written rules without the exercise of significant personal discretion, as would otherwise be the case with a "judicial" official. 

In-Person Electronic Notarization – IPEN – This type of notarization, sometimes called “eNotarization” has been around for almost 20 years, and has been legal in Montana since 2015. In-Person Electronic Notarization occurs when the borrower and notary are in the same location and the borrower applies electronic signatures to documents and then the notary does their electronic parts.

Montana notaries must perform IPEN notarizations within the state of Montana.

Remote Online Notarization occurs when a signer appears before the Notary at the time of the notarization using audio-visual technology over the internet instead of being physically present in the same room. The process is simple & usually quick.

What is an apostille?

An apostille is a certificate attached to the document, typically issued by a competent authority designated by the country where the document originates. This certificate confirms the authenticity of the signature, seal, or stamp on the document, as well as the capacity in which the person signing acted (e.g., notary public, government official).

An apostille does not certify the content or accuracy of the document; rather, it verifies the authenticity of the document itself and the signatures or seals it bears. This authentication allows the document to be recognized as valid in other countries that are parties to the Apostille Convention without the need for further certification or legalization.

In Montana, we are authorized to do REMOTE INK NOTARIZATION. We can use this process with Biometrics & ID Credential analysis. This process is for documents requiring a "WET Signature". It is important to note that an Acknowledgement is the ONLY notarial act allowed to be done on these documents. Please contact us for more information on this process & costs. 

An officiant is someone that marries couples.

By virtue of the office of Notary, all Montana Notaries are able to be Wedding Officiants in the State of Montana. Michelle has also chosen to become An Ordained Minister.