Library Notary Services
We offer simple notary services by appointment at most library locations. Please read the terms and conditions, then book an appointment at your local branch using the links below. If you are unsure whether your document can be notarized by the library, please call and speak to a notary in the Adult Services department. Confirmation of a notary appointment does not guarantee your documents can be notarized.
Notary Terms and Conditions
- Notaries may decline to notarize a document if it is prepared in a format unfamiliar to the notary, they cannot be certain of the identity or mental capacity of the signer, or for any other reason.
- Our notaries cannot notarize documents requiring verification of facts, wills, estates, trusts, quitclaim deeds, and any power of attorney documents.
- Our notaries do not act as authorized representatives for employers to verify the employment eligibility of employees, including the I-9.
- Our notaries do not notarize real estate transactions.
- Our notaries cannot act as witnesses to a notarial act.
- By law, Virginia notaries are not authorized to certify true copies of birth, death, or marriage certificates, or court-issued documents. Court-issued documents are not motions, petitions or complaints filed by the parties, but rather orders of court signed by a Judge or Magistrate. Only the Division of Vital Records/Statistics may perform such certifications.
- People seeking notarizations must bring with them their unsigned documents, valid photo identification, and any witnesses required.
- Photo identification should be provided by all signers, even if the signer is “known.” Acceptable forms of ID are: 1) a United States passport, 2) a United States passport card, 3) a certificate of United States citizenship, 4) a certificate of naturalization and green card, 5) a foreign passport, 6) an alien registration card with photograph, 7) a state-issued driver’s license, 8) a state-issued identification card, or 9) a United States military identification card. Photo IDs must be current and written in a language the notary understands. If an ID is not familiar to the notary, the notary has the option to refuse acceptance.
- Notaries may not perform notarizations to individuals with whom the notary cannot communicate, such as a non-English speaker.
- If we are unable to provide notary services for you, we can supply a list of other notaries in the area.
FAQs
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The library tries to make it easy for library customers to move through its branches by offering:
- Accessible parking spaces, ramps, and restrooms at all branches.
- An open-floor, easily traversable layout at its branches, with no interior stairs at any branches except the Fredericksburg Branch, which has elevator access to all floors.
- Drive-up book drops and wheelchair-accessible doors at many branches.
- Walkers or wheelchairs are available at many branches upon request.
- Porter & Howell elected to put needlepoint bipolar ionization systems, opens a new window, which kill the COVID-19 virus within an hour.
- Curbside Service is available at most branches.
- Location pages on the website have information about what accessibility features are at each branch.
Please contact your local library branch if you have questions about specific features at that location.
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You may request a meeting room, study room, or privacy pod online or by calling or visiting the branch and asking a staff member to submit a request on your behalf. An email address must be included in the request form to ensure receipt of our terms and conditions. A library card is required to make a reservation for a meeting room. If you do not have an email address or a library card contact the research desk for assistance.
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Black-and-white printing is available at no charge from any library computer or Chromebook.
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We offer simple notary services by appointment at most library locations. Confirmation of a notary appointment does not guarantee your documents can be notarized. Learn more about our notary services here.
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Yes. To get details and read the terms and conditions, go here.