Prohibited Acts, Misconduct & Liability
North Carolina disciplines notaries for false certificates, disqualifying interest, and unauthorized practice; the Secretary of State may restrict, suspend, or revoke a commission.
Disqualifying interest and false acts
A North Carolina notary may not notarize their own signature, may not notarize if the notary is a signer of or named in the record, or has a direct financial or beneficial interest in the transaction, and may not execute a certificate the notary knows to be false. Notarizing without personal appearance is prohibited and can be a crime.
Unauthorized practice of law
A non-attorney North Carolina notary may not give legal advice, prepare legal documents, determine which certificate to use for the signer, or advertise as a 'notario publico.' North Carolina restricts language implying attorney-level services. Violations can lead to commission action and criminal liability.