Can a Notary Notarize a Document with Blank Spaces?

Every notary is likely to encounter this situation: a signer sits down, hands over a document, and somewhere in the document there is a blank line where, for example, a name, a date, or a dollar amount should be entered. How you handle the situation affects not only you but also the signer and the document's recipient.

Why This Is Your Problem, Not Just the Signer's

The risk with blank spaces is that information can be added to the document after the notarization is performed. If that happens, your notary seal may end up on a document that no longer matches the one you notarized. If the document is later challenged, you may be required to explain or defend the notarization you performed.

This is why most state notary handbooks and best practices instruct notaries to decline to perform a notarization when a document contains blanks that, if later completed, could materially change the document’s meaning.

Your notarial certificate doesn't vouch for the content of a document, but it does certify that a specific person appeared before you and signed (or acknowledged signing) the document on a specific date for the purposes stated therein. Once your seal is on the page, that certificate travels with the document indefinitely.

What to Do When You Spot Blank Spaces

• Check whether the blanks are meant to be completed by someone else. Some blanks are reserved for a lender, title company, employer, financial institution, or government agency to complete later. These blanks do not need to be filled in before you notarize the document.

• Ask the signer to fill in the blanks. Once the signer completes the blanks — either by filling them in, drawing a line through them, or writing N/A if they don’t apply — you can continue with the notarization. If the signer does not resolve the issue, explain that you cannot notarize an incomplete document.
• Note how the blanks were handled. Record any relevant details in your notary journal, including what was done to resolve the blanks. This may help protect you if the document is later challenged.

Know the Limits of Your Notary Commission

Other than completing the notarial certificate, you should not fill in blanks in a document or decide what information belongs in the blanks. Trying to help in this manner could be considered the unauthorized practice of law. If a signer asks you to complete a blank, explain that, as a notary who is not an attorney, you cannot advise them about what information to enter. The signer should contact an attorney or the person who prepared the document for guidance.

The Bottom Line

Your role is to verify the signer’s identity, confirm that the signer is acting willingly, and determine whether the signer appears aware of what they are signing. Prior to performing the notarization, review the document for any blanks that should be completed before the document is notarized. Addressing unresolved blanks can help deter unauthorized changes and potential fraud, protect both you and the signer from later disputes, and preserve the integrity of the document.