US Notary

At Bennetts, we offer the services of a Florida civil law notary.

Florida civil law notaries - otherwise known as Florida International Notaries - are a very recent development in Florida law. These notaries have all the same powers of a Florida notary public but are not limited to practising in Florida.

A Florida civil law notary is a qualified, experienced lawyer who has completed a course of training and rigorous examination and is authorized by the State of Florida to make notarial acts as would a Florida notary public, but also to include the ability to grant public faith to certain common, everyday transactions by making an "Authentic Act". In other words, when a Florida civil law notary certifies in this manner that an event occurred, there is a higher level of trust, or public faith, as to the accuracy of the statement, and this can have the effect of legally "armor-plating" these transactions. By way of example, if further to a contract both parties are together advised by a Florida civil law notary as to the meaning and implication of a contract and an Authentic Act is prepared and stamped in this regard, it makes litigation surrounding one party's knowledge or understanding of the transaction much less likely. This is also of value with regard to the preparation of a will or trust in that it is more difficult for an unhappy heir to make the argument that the testator did not understand the document where a Florida Civil Law Notary has explained the meaning of the will and prepared an Authentic Act certifying that the advice was give and it appeared to the notary that the testator understood said advice. Civil law notaries are a part of a long and respected tradition reaching back to the early middle ages across Europe. In many countries, civil law notaries are called "notario publica" or "notaire". All civil law notaries follow a strict regimen and subscribe to the highest ethical standards to protect their public acts and the sanctity of their office.

To learn about Florida civil law notaries, visit the following websites:

Florida Statutes, Chapter 117
Florida Statute 118.10
Florida Administrative Code, 1C-18.001 Florida Civil-Law Notary
National Association of Civil Law Notaries

Florida Civil Law Notarial practice regulated by the Florida Department of State