406 Notary Conference
August 15 – 16, 2024
Registration is now open for the sixth biennial Montana Notary Conference which will be held at the Delta Colonial Hotel in Helena on August 15 - 16. This event has become nationally recognized as the “Mother of All Notary Conferences” due to the unparalleled education experience offered over the two-day Conference. Attendees will have the opportunity to choose from over 30 topics covering everything from the basic notary laws, rules, ethics, and best practices to advanced workshops offering practical information on “how” to provide the requested notary services. There will also be classes on technology-assisted notarization, and sessions of particular interest to notary entrepreneurs.
New this year will be two mock trials, “Witness For the Defense” and “Virtually Guilty” where attendees will determine the fates of notaries accused of malpractice by applying the statutory requirements to the facts of the cases.
Once again, over two dozen of the country’s most highly respected notary experts will be conducting the classes. We are delighted to welcome several alumni from previous Conferences: Bill Anderson, Kathleen Butler, Marc Aronson, Bill Fritzlen, Timothy Reiniger, Laura Biewer, Bill Soroka, Sabrina Hallsten, Jennell Huff, Kristi Strouf, Bill Gowen, Roger Rill, Amy Seitz, Judi Lawrence, Matt Miller, and Jacqueline Phillips. In addition, we are excited to introduce notaries to our first-time presenters Mike Smith, Kathleen Wallace, Mike Walker, Jen Neitzel, Brooke Merritt, Dale Hardy, Bill Gimbel, and Austin Lindsay. More information about all our esteemed presenters can be found on the 2024 Montana Notary Conference website.
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In conjunction with the Notary Conference, we are also presenting a one-day e-APP Symposium on the opening day of the Conference. The Symposium is designed to introduce and explain how electronic Apostilles are revolutionizing the process for authenticating documents that are being sent to, or used in, foreign countries. Notaries who act as Apostille Agents or who work with international transactions are invited to take advantage of this opportunity to learn from the most influential experts in the field. Notary Conference Registration entitles participants to attend the Symposium at no additional charge.
The theme of this year’s Conference, “Celebrating Montana Notaries – 1864-2024 – A Legacy of Service” pays tribute to the important role notaries have played in the 160-year history of the Treasure State. Attendance at the Conference will fulfill the required education credits for aspiring and renewing notaries, and applicants will be able to obtain the required bond, take the Montana Notary exam, and submit the application before leaving the event. Registration for the entire Conference is $175 and includes all sessions, lunch on Thursday and Friday, as well as the banquet on Thursday evening. Don’t miss out on this incredible event – CHECK OUT THE DETAILS NOW!
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Unlocking the Mysteries of Copy Certification
It’s not unusual for a customer to ask a notary to certify a copy, or provide a “true copy” of a document. Yet many notaries are unfamiliar with the requirements, limitations, and appropriate certificates to fulfill these requests.
Let’s look at this notarial act in more detail: §1-5-603(5), MCA:
A notarial officer who certifies or attests a copy of a record or an item that was copied shall determine that the copy is a full, true, and accurate transcription or reproduction of the original or official record or the item…
The first thing the law requires is that you have to determine that the requestor has presented you with an original record. You cannot make a copy of a copy and certify it to be a copy of the original.
Your next step is to determine that the document is a record that can be copied and that you, as a notary, are legally allowed to copy and certify under §1-5-625(1)(c), MCA:
(1) A notary public may not: …(c) certify a copy of an official record issued by a public entity, such as a birth, death, or marriage certificate, a court record, or a school transcript unless the notary is employed by the entity issuing or holding the original version of the record…
Montana notaries are prohibited from making and certifying copies of public documents which are considered official records that are issued by state or other government officials, unless the notary is employed by the entity issuing or holding the original record. On page 20 of the Montana Notary Public Handbook are lists of documents that are typically presented for copy certification. You can make and certify copies of passports, drivers’ licenses, diplomas, personal letters, or other private records such as bank statements, even tax records – if you have the original. The lists in the Handbook are not exhaustive. If you are not sure if the document you are asked to copy certify is a private or public record, it is always wise to ask for assistance from the Secretary of State’s office.
If the document you have been given is not on the list of “public” documents that you cannot copy-certify, your next step is to make the copy yourself. If possible, you should make a color copy if the original is in color, but that’s not required.
Finally – and this is where many notaries get frustrated – you must affix a full and complete notarial certificate to the copy. §1-5-610(6), MCA, provides suggested language for the notarial certificate:
For certifying a copy of a tangible record:
State of........................ County of........................ I certify that this is a true and correct copy of (identification of record), an original record in the possession of, or issued by, (custodian or issuer) and made by me on (date). (Signature of notarial officer) (Official stamp)
There will never be a pre-printed certificate on the copy you just pulled off the printer. You will have to handwrite the appropriate certificate language on the copy or attach and complete a loose certificate or sticky certificate (as shown here) to the copy. You can download templates for copy certificates from the SOS Notary website.
More information about copy certification is available on pages 19 – 22 of the Montana Notary Public Handbook.
Every notary should be prepared to accommodate requests for certified copies of private records.
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DON’T MISS THE NOTARY EVENT OF THE YEAR! REGISTER NOW!
 The Mission of the Office of the Secretary of State is to protect the integrity of elections, be an asset to businesses and preserve official history.
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