How legal is a notarized document?

A notarized document is a document that has been certified by a notary public. The notary public is an official who verifies the identities of everybody signing the document, witnesses the signatures, and marks the document with a stamp (or “seal”). A notarized document is considered legal and can be used as a strong piece of evidence in court because a notary public, an impartial third party, has verified its authenticity. Notarization does not make the content of the document legal, but rather, it certifies the identity of the parties and the genuineness of the signatures. Different jurisdictions have different requirements and implications for notarized documents. In some cases, notarization is a legal requirement for the enforceability of the document, such as in the case of certain real estate transactions.