Mich. Comp. Laws » Michigan Compiled Laws / Chapter 55 / Act 238 of 2003
Michigan Compiled Laws

Mich. Comp. Laws § 55.285 (2026)

Performance of notarial acts; scope; verification.

✓ current as of July 2026
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MICHIGAN LAW ON NOTARIAL ACTS


Act 238 of 2003


55.285 Performance of notarial acts; scope; verification.

Sec. 25.

    (1) A notary public may perform notarial acts that include, but are not limited to, the following:

    (a) Taking acknowledgments.

    (b) Administering oaths and affirmations.

    (c) Witnessing or attesting to a signature.

    (2) In taking an acknowledgment, the notary public shall determine, either from personal knowledge or from satisfactory evidence, that the individual in the presence of the notary public and making the acknowledgment is the individual whose signature is on the record.

    (3) In taking a verification upon oath or affirmation, the notary public shall determine, either from personal knowledge or from satisfactory evidence, that the individual in the presence of the notary public and making the verification is the individual whose signature is on the record being verified.

    (4) In witnessing or attesting to a signature, the notary public shall determine, either from personal knowledge or from satisfactory evidence, that the signature is that of the individual in the presence of the notary public and is the individual named in the record.

    (5) In all matters where the notary public takes a verification upon oath or affirmation, or witnesses or attests to a signature, the notary public shall require that the individual sign the record being verified, witnessed, or attested in the presence of the notary public.

    (6) A notary public has satisfactory evidence that an individual is the individual whose signature is on a record if that individual is any of the following:

    (a) Personally known to the notary public.

    (b) Identified upon the oath or affirmation of a credible witness personally known by the notary public and who personally knows the individual.

    (c) Identified on the basis of a current license, identification card, or record issued by a federal or state government that contains the individual's photograph and signature.

    (d) With regard to a notarial act performed under section 26b, identified and verified through an identity proofing process or service that is part of a remote electronic notarization platform approved under section 26b(1), and the person presents an identity document described in subdivision (c) that is verified through a credential analysis process or service that is part of a remote electronic notarization platform approved under section 26b(1).

    (7) The fee charged by a notary public for performing a notarial act shall not be more than $10.00 for any individual transaction or notarial act. A notary public shall either conspicuously display a sign or expressly advise an individual concerning the fee amount to be charged for a notarial act before the notary public performs the act. Before the notary public commences to travel in order to perform a notarial act, the notary public and client may agree concerning a separate travel fee to be charged by the notary public for traveling to perform the notarial act.

    (8) A notary public may refuse to perform a notarial act.

    (9) The secretary shall prescribe the form that a notary public shall use for a jurat, the taking of an acknowledgment, the administering of an oath or affirmation, the taking of a verification upon an oath or affirmation, the witnessing or attesting to a signature, or any other act that a notary public is authorized to perform in this state.

    (10) A county clerk may collect a processing fee of $10.00 for certifying a notarial act of a notary public.

History: 2003, Act 238, Eff. Apr. 1, 2004 ;-- Am. 2006, Act 426, Imd. Eff. Oct. 5, 2006 ;-- Am. 2018, Act 330, Eff. Sept. 30, 2018

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 9 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2016–2022 · leading case: Brenda Stumbo v. Karen Lovejoy Roe (Mich. Ct. App. 2020).
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Brenda Stumbo v. Karen Lovejoy Roe (Mich. Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 5× “On page 2, the seventh sentence of the paragraph is corrected to read: Rather, we hold that as long as the AOI has been signed by the candidate and notarized in a manner allowed under MCL 55.285, the AOI strictly complies with the attestation requirements implicit in MCL 168.”
Brenda Stumbo v. Karen Lovejoy Roe (Mich. Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 4× “558 contains no express requirement that the affidavit be signed by the candidate or that the identity of the signatory be attested to by a notary.”
Martha Cavill v. State of Michigan (Mich. Ct. App. 2022). · cites it 3× “MCL 55.285(1)(b) of the Michigan law on notarial acts, MCL 55.”
Prof'l Contracting & Consulting Inc v. Merchants Bonding (Mich. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 2× “It provides, in relevant part: (2) In taking an acknowledgment, the notary public shall determine, either from personal knowledge or from satisfactory evidence, that the person in the presence of the notary public and making the acknowledgment is the person whose signature is on…”
Prof'l Contracting & Consulting Inc v. Merchants Bonding (Mich. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 2× “It provides, in relevant part: (2) In taking an acknowledgment, the notary public shall determine, either from personal knowledge or from satisfactory evidence, that the person in the presence of the notary public and making the acknowledgment is the person whose signature is on…”
T P Nykoriak v. Benny Napoleon (Mich. Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 2× “] We held “that as long as the AOI has been signed by the candidate and notarized in a manner allowed under MCL 55.285, the AOI strictly complies with the attestation requirements implicit in MCL 168.”
Nancy Laliberte v. John J Bradbury (Mich. Ct. App. 2016). “Notwithstanding the requirements of MCL 55.285(5) of the Michigan Notary Public Act, Bress was not present at the signing itself.”
Brenda Stumbo v. Karen Lovejoy Roe (Mich. Ct. App. 2020). “On page 2, the seventh sentence of the paragraph is corrected to read: Rather, we hold that as long as the AOI has been signed by the candidate and notarized in a manner allowed under MCL 55.285, the AOI strictly complies with the attestation requirements implicit in MCL 168.”
Brenda Stumbo v. Karen Lovejoy Roe (Mich. Ct. App. 2020). “On page 2, the seventh sentence of the paragraph is corrected to read: Rather, we hold that as long as the AOI has been signed by the candidate and notarized in a manner allowed under MCL 55.285, the AOI strictly complies with the attestation requirements implicit in MCL 168.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 55.285(1)(b) — 3 cases
Brenda Stumbo v. Karen Lovejoy Roe (Mich. Ct. App. 2020). “558 contains no express requirement that the affidavit be signed by the candidate or that the identity of the signatory be attested to by a notary.”
Brenda Stumbo v. Karen Lovejoy Roe (Mich. Ct. App. 2020). “On page 2, the seventh sentence of the paragraph is corrected to read: Rather, we hold that as long as the AOI has been signed by the candidate and notarized in a manner allowed under MCL 55.285, the AOI strictly complies with the attestation requirements implicit in MCL 168.”
Martha Cavill v. State of Michigan (Mich. Ct. App. 2022). “MCL 55.285(1)(b) of the Michigan law on notarial acts, MCL 55.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 55.285(3) — 1 case
Martha Cavill v. State of Michigan (Mich. Ct. App. 2022). “MCL 55.285(1)(b) of the Michigan law on notarial acts, MCL 55.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 55.285(5) — 2 cases
Nancy Laliberte v. John J Bradbury (Mich. Ct. App. 2016). “Notwithstanding the requirements of MCL 55.285(5) of the Michigan Notary Public Act, Bress was not present at the signing itself.”
Martha Cavill v. State of Michigan (Mich. Ct. App. 2022). “MCL 55.285(1)(b) of the Michigan law on notarial acts, MCL 55.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 55.285(6)(b) — 2 cases
Prof'l Contracting & Consulting Inc v. Merchants Bonding (Mich. Ct. App. 2017). “It provides, in relevant part: (2) In taking an acknowledgment, the notary public shall determine, either from personal knowledge or from satisfactory evidence, that the person in the presence of the notary public and making the acknowledgment is the person whose signature is on…”
Prof'l Contracting & Consulting Inc v. Merchants Bonding (Mich. Ct. App. 2017). “It provides, in relevant part: (2) In taking an acknowledgment, the notary public shall determine, either from personal knowledge or from satisfactory evidence, that the person in the presence of the notary public and making the acknowledgment is the person whose signature is on…”
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